I Will Take You Forever
by weirdismyname
Summary: AU.He was forced to be in a yacht for a celebration.He thought the trip would be boring but thanks to a certain girl, he was able to have fun. They get to know each other, and soon they were falling in love. And soon, he would discover her tragic fate.
1. Summary and Chapter 1

**A/N: Whoops! weirdismyname here! here comes my next story... :) please, enjoy.**

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO. I NEVER OWNED IT!

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><p><strong>SUMMARY:<strong>

**I Will Take You Forever**

It all started in a World Class Ship. Naruto Uzumaki is the Grandson of a very famous jewel collector. He is 17 years old, and he has it all. Fame, money, good looks, fan girls, and athletics—he has it ALL. But there's still one thing that he couldn't get. LOVE. Love from his real parents and LOVE from the girl of his dreams. Sakura Haruno. After this cruise, when he gets back to Japan, he will definitely confess to her. But, he meets a girl named Hyuga Hinata in the world class ship. They became good friends for a short time, and they wished to meet again someday. Fortunately, there was a new student in Konoha Gakuen, and the girl happens to be Hinata. The daughter of the owner of a world class museum.

They meet again. But, a lot of unexpected things happened to their lives.

FRIENDSHIP, LOVE, TRAGEDY… AND LOST.

A lot of painful things. But the most painful thing was… when Naruto found out that Hinata is sick.

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><p><strong>Chapter 1: It all started with a Song<strong>

Naruto wanted to kick his grandfather's butt. Because of him, he was stuck in this stupid world class yacht. Being the grandson of a famous person was not that great at all. He needed to attend balls, parties, occasions, and events regarding his grandfather's company. After all, he's the only son that his mother and father had, everyone in the clan expects him to be the next heir of the jewelry company.

Wanna know why he's in this world class yacht? It's all because of his grandfather—Jiraiya found a very rare diamond in Egypt. The diamond was said to be lost for almost two thousand years, during the times of the Persian Empire, this diamond was worn by Darius the Great. This discovery is History in the whole wide world. Once again, the family name of Uzumaki gained more fame and power.

_Sheesh. As if I care about that. _Naruto thought to himself. It's not that he's complaining about his level in life, it's just that fame and money were still not enough to fulfill his desires. He was still not contented. It's like there's still an empty portion in his heart that money can't buy. But what's supposed to be done has to be done. Nothing will change in his life.

No matter how hard he tries or how much her cares.

Everything will remain the same.

"HEY! You idiotic Grandson! Get out of that room already, it's lunchtime!" the voice was coming from his oh-so great grandfather. The knock from the door was so loud and strong that the last thing he would do is to destroy it.

His gramps was strong for an old man.

There were advantages and disadvantages for his strength. But for Naruto, most of it was a total DISADVANTAGE.

Naruto, who was sitting comfortably on the window pane, sighed in irritation. "COMING!" He was forced to say.

"Hurry up. We'll be waiting for you at the dining hall. Don't be late!" Jiraiya shouted.

"I understand, _dattebayo!"_ Naruto answered. He was relieved to hear Jiraiya's footsteps fading as he walked away from Naruto's door.

Lazily, he went down from the window pane and made his way to his closet. His clothes were ready. Now, he knew why the maids were fussing in his closet earlier. Oh, his old pals. Coat and Tie. How he _hated_ them. But he could do nothing.

Well, he has to do the right thing, no? Whether he likes it or not, the mighty coat and tie wins the battle.

But… it doesn't mean that he is going to eat with the ROYALTIES.

*KNOCK KNOCK*

That was the knock that he was waiting for. He quickly put on his black coat and made a messy knot with his red tie. He walked across the room and opened the door. It's as if he already knew the person who was knocking.

There stood a guy. A guy with black silky hair and mysterious black onyx eyes stood in front of Naruto. And for some reason the guy had a dark aura surrounding him. He was also wearing a formal attire like Naruto. He was also an invited guest in this yacht just like Naruto. And he was undergoing same circumstances just like Naruto.

"You ready to go?" said by the guy with a deep and muscular tone of voice.

Naruto scratched the back of his head. "I've been waiting for you for like three hours. Where have you been, Sasuke?"

"Do you think it's easy to get out of my father's sight?" Sasuke replied.

Naruto shut the door behind him. "All right. I don't want to deal with your father, too." He said. "_Ikezou."_

Sasuke nodded in response, and stealthily, they walked through the hallways with the intention to escape.

* * *

><p>The orchestra played classical songs for the first class passengers who were in the dining hall for the party. Just like what Jiraiya said, rich families gathered for the formal meal this noon.<p>

"It's great to see you again, Hiashi-san." Jiraiya greeted formally and shook hands with the noble man with long black silky hair.

Hiashi bowed in respect. "It's been a long time, Jiraiya-sama." He said. "I'm honored to be invited to this special occasion."

Jiraiya grinned. "There's no need to be so formal." He then turned his gaze to the guy standing beside Hiashi. A teen-age guy who looked almost the same as the noble man. Long silky hair, pale skin and light violet eyes. He seems to be a fine young man. "Care to introduce this lad to me?"

"Oh, this is my nephew. Hyuga Neji, the son of my late brother Hizashi." Hiashi introduced.

Neji stepped forward and gave Jiraiya a polite bow.

Jiraiya slammed his hand on Neji's arm. "You're going to be a strong man someday. Say, what's sports do you do?"

"Karate _desu_." Neji answered politely.

"Nice." Jiraiya praised. "Well, keep up the good work. I know your father would be very proud."

Neji smiled. "_Arigato gozaimashita." _ He replied.

A waiter then came and offered them a glass of wine. Neji had to refuse because he was still underage, while Jiraiya and Hiashi took one for themselves.

"By the way, where is your daughter?" Jiraiya asked and he took a sip. White wine. His favorite. "It's been a long time since I saw her. Hmmm… as far as I could remember, she was just six years old back then when I met her at the night parade in France."

Hiashi nodded. "She's still getting ready in her room. Neji, can you check on her for a while?"

Neji nodded in response and took a bow before he left.

"I bet she has grown into a fine lady." Jiraiya commented.

"Yes. Just like her mother… every angle of her reminds me of my wife." Hiashi said. "And I suppose Naruto is all grown up, too."

That's right. Naruto. Jiraiya forgot all about his idiotic grandson. The formal meal is about to start and that FOOL has not yet arrived. Where in the world is that guy? If he just wasn't busy entertaining the guests, he would have gone back to Naruto's room and drag him here.

"That idiot." He mumbled.

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><p>"I can't believe that those guards were so easy to fool!" The blonde haired guy with whiskers on the cheeks exclaimed as he walked with Sasuke down the staircase.<p>

Sasuke smirked slightly. "Of course, who would not be deceived by our filthy clothes?" he said.

Before they proceeded with their plan, Sasuke brought a bag of filthy clothes. They needed these to look normal to the guards and maids walking around the floor. To proceed to their incredible scheme, they had to look like normal people to be able to get out of the first class. Now, they were successful. They were on their way to the third class to have some fun.

Being in the first class was SO boring like hell. They had to act so proper in front of everybody. They'd rather stay at home for a video game, but since it was their first time in this world class yacht like the titanic, they wouldn't miss the chance checking the engines and the other floors.

When they were done checking the third class out, they made their way to the control room.

"Way too cool." Those were the only words that Naruto could think of. Whenever he goes with his grandfather for a cruise, this engine room was the best he had ever seen so far.

With big, massive, engine and strange beeping sounds, only a stone would not be amazed. There's a button for this, there's a button for there. Name it, and it's there. REALLY there.

"I wonder if this one will also hit an ice berg just like in that movie." Naruto said. He was talking about Titanic.

"Hn. Then that would be way too adventurous." Sasuke replied.

The boys continued to wonder around the most dangerous place of the yacht.

Suddenly, they were caught by workers. "You two! What are you doing in this place?" the man shouted with an angry voice. It sounded like a French accent.

"_Yabai._ Let's run for it!" Naruto said. Then they both sprinted away and climbed the steel stairs that led to the exit.

"_Revenir_!" He shouted. Then he began throwing French words at them which they didn't even understand.

Naruto and Sasuke ran faster as they could still hear the mad man's voice. They didn't care if they were going the right way or not. All that matters to them was to explore new rooms in this ship.

After several steps, they couldn't see the French guard anymore. Good thing that both of them were members of the school soccer team. Running away is just a piece of cake. An ordinary person can't catch up to their speed.

Now, they reached a different place again. Nothing special to be seen, just more hallways. For a while, they decided to rest and regain their strength. Running away from the French guard was quite a challenge for them; after all, since they got on this yacht, they haven't eaten anything.

While they were resting, the wind blew gently at the boys that made it even more relaxing.

"Sasuke, do you think they're looking for us?" Naruto spoke.

Sasuke gave him a look. "I don't think so. If they were, then my father or your grandfather should have sent the entire squad searching for us. It's going to be mayhem. Since it's still peaceful, I think they haven't found out that we escaped first class." He replied as he placed his hands in his pockets.

Naruto walked up to the window and placed his elbows on the pane. From their floor, he could see a small portion of the balcony from the first class. "I wish they get tired of searching." He said.

"Yeah. Why do we even have to be here? I hate parties." Sasuke complained.

"So do I!" Naruto agreed then sighed. "If we were just living a normal life. Imagine… No rules and regulations, no parties, balls, ceremonies to attend to, no guards watching over us and no butlers serving us!" He expressed. "Equal treatment of people, isn't that great? If things were just going my way…"

"Your way?" Sasuke raised a brow. "Then, what about my way? NO COAT AND TIE."

Naruto nodded. "Yeah, that's kinda good." He agreed.

As they continued talking about the type of life they wanted to have, Naruto suddenly saw a flash of white from the deck of the first class. It was a girl. A girl wearing a white dress. Naruto took a better look to familiarize her face.

The girl was wearing a white formal dress with a red brooch attached to her chest, and on her head was a white headdress that covered her dark blue hair. Her skin was white as snow that it shined through the sun's glare, and her eyes were unique in color that it had white ones with a hint of lavender without an iris. Naruto had never seen such an appearance before.

Every angle of her looked pure, innocent and beautiful.

For some reasons, he couldn't take his eyes off her.

She was beautiful. That's all that he could think of to describe the maiden. But, her eyes looked somewhat melancholic. "I wonder who she is…" he whispered to himself.

Sasuke gave Naruto a strong smack on the head. "Are you listening?"

Naruto got interrupted. He forgot about Sasuke… they were talking about their dream lives, weren't they?

"What are you looking at?" Sasuke asked.

Naruto immediately shifted his gaze away from the girl before he gets caught by Sasuke. "_B-betsuni!"_ He defended.

Sasuke followed where Naruto was looking at earlier. Then he saw a girl with a white dress on the first class deck. He turned back to Naruto and gave him a skeptical look. "Hn. Her?" He pointed. "I can't believe that those innocent ones are your types."

"That's not it, _BAKAYARO!"_ Naruto argued. "I'm not interested in women."

Sasuke smirked sheepishly. "Let's see about that… I know her name."

"Really? Then what?" Naruto completely fell for it. What an idiot… It was too late when he found out that Sasuke was playing games on him.

Sasuke laughed for his triumph. "Hn. Find that out yourself." He said.

"A-as if I care!" Naruto acted brave. Then he took one last glance at the girl, he saw a guy calling her. A familiar guy. Then, she left.

He lied to Sasuke. They've been friends since diapers. He told everything to him; his problems, opinions, and thoughts. He can tell things to him that he can't tell his grandfather. Thanks to Sasuke, he was able to open up. But there was still one thing that Naruto couldn't tell his best friend.

It's all about the girl he likes.

Her name is Haruno Sakura.

Ever since they were kindergarten, Naruto liked her. No one knew about this, even Sasuke but himself.

And he made his decision. When he comes back to Japan, he'd confess to her.

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><p>"You irresponsible young men!" the booming voice of Jiraiya exploded Naruto and Sasuke's eardrums.<p>

Both of them were caught. It was already 2pm and the formal meal was over. The guests kept asking where Naruto and Sasuke were—especially the girls, and they kept waiting for the boys to come. Jiraiya was so ashamed of his grandson, same goes for Sasuke's father.

They were both disappointed by the lads' behaviors.

Naruto and Sasuke were both locked in their personal rooms as a punishment. They had three guards watching over them to make sure that they won't attempt to escape again. There was another party tonight. The main event of this cruise; the presentation of the rare diamond that Jiraiya found.

This time, there's no way to escape.

All Naruto could do was pray for the God's guidance to grant him strength not to fall asleep during the celebration. It would deliver too much SHAME to the family if the next heir of the throne falls asleep during the historical proclamation of the diamond.

* * *

><p>7pm.<p>

It's time for the ceremony. Whether Naruto liked it or not, the coat and tie wins again. There's no backing out of this deadly battle. Ceremony, ceremony… meet Uzumaki Naruto.

He was escorted by three guards to the event hall to make sure he won't get away.

_Like a prisoner._

If he wasn't just in this cruise ship, he would definitely knock the hell out of these damn guards. They were lucky that somehow, Naruto didn't want to bring shame to his grandfather. But, if it weren't for the _disgrace _that he would bring, he would beat them in a pulp and find all the way to escape this yacht. How could he help it? He never liked gatherings.

He was forced to stay alongside with Jiraiya to be introduced to some famous people around the world. Such as Prince William, Kate Middleton, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Cameron Diaz, Barack Obama, Manny Pacquiao, Tiger Woods, J.K Rowling, Suzanne Collins and other big names across the ocean. But, Naruto didn't care. He didn't want to meet those people; all he wanted to meet were his real parents. No other.

Oh… when would this horrible night end? He was just here for less than half an hour. How much more could he take of this?

"Minna-sama, please lend me your attention for a while." Jiraiya began to speak. He was standing beside a covered cube—must be the container of the diamond. "I sincerely thank everyone for being here with me. I am deeply glad to see that each and everyone appreciates the hardships the company and I did for all these years. Now, we have accomplished a very high goal."

Naruto's grandfather continued to give his short speech about the jewelry. It was SO boring that Naruto wanted to snooze.

It took twenty minutes for Jiraiya to deliver his speech, and at last, it's time to see the ancient jewelry.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I proudly present… Darius the Great's Diamond!" Jiraiya exclaimed as he flipped away the red curtain that was covering the container of the gem.

Every guest in the room was astounded by the beauty of the rare ancient gem. Its color was dark blue and it gives off rainbow colored rays when the light hits its body. Its size was just as big as a cubic ring, and according to historians, Darius I used to wear this diamond as a necklace.

All of them were interested—oops, not exactly all of them. Correction there.

Two boys didn't even care to look at the rare gem. Their names are Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke.

1 hour later.

At least, Naruto was able to enjoy the dinner.

He survived for one hour. Thank God. Exchanging fake smiles and greetings with other people was a huge pain in the ass. He could feel his cheeks getting stiffed. He _definitely_ needs a break.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I hope you're all enjoying your meals. To make it even more special, I proudly introduce my daughter to all of you. She is here with us to sing a very meaningful song. Hinata, please do the honors." Hyuga Hiashi said. Then a girl came down from the stairs with Neji escorting her.

She wore a blue turtle neck gown that reaches her ankles, and it has a slit that reaches up to her left knee. Her hair was all up and her bangs covered her entire forehead. The diamond earrings and necklace she had shined as the spot light focused on her.

Naruto was wide eyed. That was the girl he saw from the deck earlier.

Hinata. Was that her name? Did he hear the old man right?

Before Naruto could make further observations, he noticed that Sasuke was glaring at him teasingly from the other table. _DAMN._

When he was busy having a stare down fight with Sasuke, the flute started to play a very melodic tone. A melody that was so familiar to him. His attention was drawn back to Hinata, and there, he was captivated by the music. After a few notes from the intro, he remembered what song that was.

The theme song from that movie. TITANIC.

_My Heart Will Go On_

_Every night in my dreams  
>I see you, I feel you<br>That is how I know you go on_

When she hit the first lines, the crowd looked very captivated by her voice. As well as Naruto and Sasuke. Her voice was so perfect for the song. It reminded them of Celine Dion.

_Far across the distance  
>And spaces between us<br>You have come to show you go on_

_Near, far, wherever you are_  
><em>I believe that the heart does go on<em>  
><em>Once more you open the door<em>  
><em>And you're here in my heart<em>  
><em>And my heart will go on and on<em>

After the first chorus, the audience gave her an applause. The music continued… and Naruto couldn't take his eyes off her.

_Love can touch us one time  
>And last for a lifetime<br>And never let go till we're gone_

_Love was when I loved you_  
><em>One true time I hold to<em>  
><em>In my life we'll always go on<em>

_Near, far, wherever you are_  
><em>I believe that the heart does go on<em>  
><em>Once more you open the door<em>  
><em>And you're here in my heart<em>  
><em>And my heart will go on and on<em>

Absentmindedly, Naruto walked closer to Hinata to see her better. Sasuke was observing him from afar with a slight smirk formed on his lips.

_You're here, there's nothing I fear_  
><em>And I know that my heart will go on<em>  
><em>We'll stay forever this way<em>  
><em>You are safe in my heart<em>  
><em>And my heart will go on and on<em>

Standing ovation and a round of applause was given to her by the crowd.

Hinata gave them a respectful bow in response and smiled very angelic. Her face was full of joy, her eyes were lively and her smile was very impossible to remove. She looked entirely different compared from the first time he saw her at the balcony. She was lonely… but now, that didn't show at all.

She was escorted back to her seat and the ceremony continued. There were some announcements from the ROYAL guests, and as usual, Naruto didn't listen. His whole attention was devoted to Hinata. He waited for her to be left alone at her table, and finally, her father and cousin left. Naruto had a chance. He made his way to her.

"Hey." Naruto said and tapped her shoulder.

Hinata slightly jumped in surprise. She turned to him and gave him a quick bow.

Naruto didn't know what to say. Seriously, what has gotten into him to approach the girl?

_Here goes nothing._

"Your voice was beautiful. I like it." Naruto praised as he scratched the back of his head.

Hinata… blushed. She covered her eyes with her bangs and started playing with her fingers nervously.

Naruto was surprised by her actions. What was happening to this girl?

"Th-thank you…" she replied softly.

"I'm glad that you sang that song. It meant a lot to me." Naruto smirked. He offered a hand to her and introduced himself. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto, dattebayo. Yoroshiku."

Hinata shyly shook hands with him. "Hyuga Hinata desu."

Naruto took back his hand and placed it inside his pocket. Then he felt something. He felt that someone was watching them. He lifted his head and searched around the room. Then there, he saw that it was only Sasuke. The guy was teasingly glaring at them with a sheepish smirk on his lips.

"That guy…" Naruto murmured. He wanted to stay longer with Hinata but he had to settle some business with the Uchiha first. But, when he was about to excuse himself from the girl, the noble cousin of the Hyuga came back.

_Oh, Boy…_

"What do you need?" Neji said with a somewhat irritated tone of voice. "Uzumaki Naruto."

Naruto didn't like dealing with this guy at all.

Yes, they knew each other because they attend the same school. What's worse? They go to the same class.

In short, they're classmates.

What could go worse?

"Nothing. I'm leaving." Naruto said and turned away from the Hyuga relatives. Like he would waste his time talking with this annoying guy. What a bad luck for Hinata to have Neji as her cousin. He was a guy that only cared about rules and regulations in school.

Oh, well. Who was he to judge the Hyuga's life?

"What did he say to you?" Neji asked and sat beside Hinata.

"He was just praising and congratulating me. You don't need to be so rude." Hinata said.

"Hinata, you better stay away from him." Neji warned.

Hinata gave him a look. "Why? What made you say that?" she paused and turned to Naruto. "He doesn't seem to be a… bad guy. I think he's nice."

"I'm telling you. Stay away from that guy, understand?" Neji said with a serious tone of voice.

Hinata sighed. She could do nothing but agree with her cousin. "_Wakarimashita_." She said.

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><p>Naruto made his way to Sasuke and gave him a dreadful glare. "What look was that?" He asked.<p>

Sasuke raised his eyebrow. "You said you're not interested in the Hyuga daughter. But, it seems that I'm right. You are interested in her."

"I just congratulated her, that's all! Got a problem with that?" Naruto defended.

"Hn." Sasuke replied with his monosyllabic expression as usual. He didn't believe what Naruto was saying. "Bad for you that she's Hyuga Neji's cousin. It means… HANDS OFF." He said.

"What are you saying? Bakayaro!" Naruto exclaimed.

But Sasuke was right. Of all the people in the world… why does she have to be Neji's cousin?

TO BE CONTINUED.

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><p><strong>AN: FIRST CHAPTER IS DONE! YEAH! Please feel free to review. tell me if you liked it or not… I would accept any comments as long as it's not offensive. . correct me if I have wrong grammars cuz I know that I'm still a beginner. **

**I hope you enjoyed the first chap! **

**VOCABULARY**

**Ikezou- **Let's go

**Karate desu- **It's Karate

**Arigato Gozaimashita- **Thank you very much

**Yabai- **This is bad

**Revenir- **Come back here

**Betsuni- **Nothing

**Bakayaro- **Idiot

**Minna-sama- **everyone

**Yoroshiku- **Pleased to meet you


	2. Chapter 2: To meet again

**A/N: Finally! chapter 2 is here. Guys... thank you so much for the reviews! I'm so motivated now! I love you all! I will do my best to fill up your desires and get this story more interesting. The truth is, I'm already working on chapter 8 in my draft. I write it first in a long bond paper then give it to my editor to correct some mistakes. Oh, well.. enjoy!**

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN NARUTO. I .. I .. I GOT NOTHING. :|  
><strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter 2: To meet again<strong>

Naruto never felt a back pain like this before. It was 7am in the morning, he still couldn't sleep. The ceremony ended at exactly 12 midnight; all in all it consumed five hours of his life. And for him, it was hell.

*Knock! Knock!*

He could hear the horrible noise from his room's door.

'_Damn.' _Naruto cursed mentally. He threw a pillow towards the door and shouted. "WHAT?"

"Breakfast is ready, young master." The voice fed back. It came from his butler.

Naruto groaned. Seriously, can't a guy get some peace for a moment? Was the party last night not enough? Does every meal have to be celebrated? "Coming…" He replied lazily. As if he had a good choice.

Having a formal meal means seeing Neji Hyuga again. _Oh, Boy._

But, be patient. Everything would be over soon. They would be going back to Japan this afternoon and he can finally step out of this yacht. Patience, patience. He has to be patient.

Without fixing his bed sheets, he rose up and went directly to the bathroom to take a brief shower. After refreshing his body, he wore his formal clothes. Formal? A pair of expensive jeans, white polo shirt from bench and leather shoes from France. So far in this trip, these were the most relaxing clothes he wore.

He walked across the room and took his leave. Time to face another deadly battle.

* * *

><p>He was now walking at the grand hallway. The maids, butlers, guards and sailors greeted him, as usual. A few more steps, he would be entering the room where the Royal guests would have their formal breakfast. Could he back out? He suddenly changed his mind. But, no, he can't. He's STARVING.<p>

Before going to the entrance hall, he saw a familiar person at the balcony. He went there first, without thinking.

It was Hinata.

"_Ohayo."_ Naruto greeted as he stood next to her.

Once again, Hinata leaped surprisingly. She looked at him with a hint of red shades planted on her cheeks and gave him a polite bow. "_O-Ohayo Gozaimasu."_ She greeted with a shaky voice.

"What's with that reaction? Are you weird or something?" Naruto frowned.

Hinata looked down and blushed even harder. Her heart was pounding madly and it felt like it would jump out of her chest. She pulled down her hat to hide her face and avoided the guy's eyes as much as possible.

"By the way, what are you doing here? It's time for breakfast." Naruto said. "Your father and your… cousin must be looking for you by now." He nearly called her cousin as "That jerk", he wondered why he found it hard speaking the devil's name. Oh, well. He never liked that guy. Neji just happen to be Hinata's cousin, so somehow, he had to show respect.

"I'm just out for a fresh air… You should get inside now. Jiraiya-sama might get upset again." Hinata replied.

Naruto scoffed. "Let him be. The air inside is suffocating me. I need a break." He leaned his elbows on the steel bars and stared down the blue sea.

Hinata took a closer look at Naruto. Something was wrong with him. She noticed that he had black circles under his eyes and he sounded so stressed. "_Daijobu desu ka?" _She asked with a concerned tone of voice.

Naruto glanced back at Hinata. "Me? Nothing's wrong with me." He said.

"You look kind of… tired." She said.

Naruto chuckled softly. "Who would not get sick in this ship? It's so boring for not being able to explore around. It sucks," He said. "and… you look even more tired than me. So, I should be the one asking you if you're doing fine."

Hinata gave him a faint smile. "I'm fine… I was just worried."

Naruto gave her a teasing look on the face. "You're just worried because it's ME." He smirked sheepishly.

This made Hinata giggle softly and blush even more. "_Chigau desu yo!" _She defended. "It doesn't matter who you are. I just want to help people as far as I'm alive. I want to be useful."

Naruto nodded. "Hmm… I see. So, let me ask you one thing." He paused. "Are you bored?" he raised a brow.

Hinata looked away. Was he even listening to what she was saying? "What kind of question was that?"

"Come on. Just answer me." He looked serious and he repeated the question once again. "Are you bored?"

Hinata wasn't sure what to answer, but since he asked, she decided to tell him the truth. For her response, she gave him a slight nod. She was extremely bored. She was not a party freak after all. Ceremonies here, ceremonies there, ceremonies everywhere! The only reason that she was in this cruise was all because of her father. What could she do? Tell him that she didn't want to go? As if she would be able to do that. Because ever since she was a child, she lived her life under her father's desires. She was not able to express what she really likes to do for the reason her father might be angry or be disappointed at her. She wouldn't want that.

"Come with me." Naruto said.

Hinata tilted her head. "What? Where to?" She asked.

"Let's kill our boredom! For short, let's explore!" He exclaimed.

Hinata was wide-eyed. "No. You know we can't do that. We are not allowed to go down from this floor. Jiraiya-sama and _Otou-sama_ will not be pleased."

"Nah, forget about them for a while!" Naruto said. "Plus, you said you wanted to help people. Here I am! I need HELP in exploring the ship." That was his punch line.

Indeed, he was listening to what she was babbling about earlier. Now, she wished that he didn't listen to her at all. "I want to help people. But in a good way." She answered.

"But, exploring is not a bad thing. So, let's go! Also, you told me that you were bored. My idea is the BEST way to wake our sleeping minds." He pushed. "And, if you're afraid about getting caught. Then don't be. I'll take full responsibility."

Hinata didn't know if she would be amazed by his braveness or not. It seemed that he's used to getting in troubles.

Unexpectedly, someone had spotted them.

_Tsk. Hyuga Neji._

"Hey, Uzumaki Naruto! What are you doing?" Neji stepped inside the balcony. "Hinata, get back inside. The breakfast is starting soon." He commanded.

"_Yabai. Ikezou_!" Naruto said and took Hinata's hand. He dragged her forcefully with him at the other exit of the balcony.

"E-eh? _Chotto matte_!" Before Hinata could react, she was dragged towards the door that led to the elevator.

"Naruto! Where are you taking her? Get back this instance!" Neji shouted.

"Dude, I'm just borrowing your cousin for a while. Catch you later." Naruto gave Neji a salute before the elevator's door closed.

Neji was too late when he reached the elevator. His cousin and that idiotic guy were out of sight.

* * *

><p>"Uzumaki-san, are you out of your mind? We broke a rule!" Hinata slightly raised her voice, still calm even when angry. They were on their way down to the third class.<p>

"Isn't that great? Your first time, right? I promise you're going to have lots of fun." Naruto grinned.

All Hinata could do was lean on the wall of the elevator and sigh. "Good Gracious… please, forgive us." She whispered to herself.

After a couple of seconds, they had reached the third class. Naruto went out first and checked if the coast was clear, then he dragged Hinata out before she could plan of going back to the first class. It seemed that the armies of his grandfather still haven't started their move.

Naruto forced her out. "You're already here, so there's no point going back up! Come on!" He successfully pulled her out and they ran through the corridors. A lot of people in this floor were looking at them in surprise. Of course, by their attire, people could easily determine that they're first class passengers. But who cares? It's just CLOTHES.

"Where are you taking me? We're not welcome here…" Hinata said softly as she tried to catch up with his speed.

"Don't be such a worry-wart. Just don't provoke them and they won't bother you." Naruto looked back at her as he slow himself down for Hinata. He wasn't looking at where he was going, so as he ran with her, he suddenly bumped into a man. A muscular man. He was pushed away a little and he looked at the person.

The man was taller than him and BIGGER than him. He wore a green vest and violet bandana and he had thick brown beard occupying his whole chin.

"That hurt, kid." The man said.

"Ah… sorry," Naruto said. He stepped back and told Hinata that everything would be all right.

The man leaned closer to Naruto as he noticed the silver necklace hanging on the lad's neck. "Do you expect me to let you go easily?" he said. "What if I got injured?"

"You look completely fine to me, old man." Naruto replied.

The bearded man frowned. "You're rude, boy. You're a first class passenger, aren't you?" He grabbed Naruto by the front shirt and glared directly at his blue eyes. "Wanna see how we treat the guys from first class?"

Naruto smirked. "Bring it on." He said.

"_Chotto matte_." Hinata interrupted. "Please, forgive us. We're leaving soon so—"

Her words were cut by Naruto. "What do you want me to do?"

The man grinned and let him go. "BET. We're going to have a bet. Come with me."

"A bet? Sounds interesting." Naruto replied. "I'm in."

"Follow me." The man led the way.

Hinata grabbed Naruto's left arm before he could do anything. "This might be dangerous… we just can't follow strangers." She said.

"Daijobu. Daijobu. Leave everything to me. And you know, this is where the fun starts." Naruto said. Then he followed the bearded man across the corridor.

Hinata hesitated to go with him, but she wouldn't want to leave him alone.

Somehow, she had a strange feeling about this.

* * *

><p>Naruto and Hinata entered a very noisy room. So early in the morning, commoners were drinking beers and having a feast. Men clashed their bottle of beer and wine while women and the others served foods. There were musicians playing lively music, and dancers danced gracefully along with it on top of circular tables. They were having a party. A party that Naruto nor Hinata had never seen before in their lives. Hinata was forced to stick close to Naruto since the place was really crowded.<p>

"Over here." The man called them.

They went to him and waited for his instructions.

The bearded man tapped his muscular arm on a huge dart board. The dart board looked unique because instead of a bull's eye in the middle, it had a circular hole. "You're going to play this." He began. He commanded one of his buds to give Naruto a box of balls. "The game is simple. All you need to do is shoot those balls through the middle while standing on this plat form. If you win, then you can take whatever you want from us. But, if you lose… you need to hand over you silver necklace."

Naruto smirked. "That's all? Then it's a deal." He replied confidently.

"Naruto-kun… this is bad." Hinata tried to stop him.

"How many times do I have to tell you? Leave this to me." Naruto said.

"That's right, _jou-chan_. Why don't you sit down for a while?" The bearded man grabbed her hand and pushed her towards a vacant chair beside the group of drunkards.

An old man confronted her. "Want to taste this?" He offered a mug of overflowing beer to her.

Hinata brought out her handkerchief and wiped her dripping sweat on her left cheek nervously. "I-I don't drink, sir." She replied.

"Come on, try it! It's not that bad!" the drunkard hicked.

"I'm s-sorry… but, sir, having too much alcohol is not good for you bodies." Hinata said.

The drunkards groaned and suddenly lost interest at her. They didn't like being scolded for their hobby.

The crowd's attention was now drawn to Naruto. Hinata could hear them betting different amounts. The others said Naruto would lose, and the opposite side said that he would win. Of course, Hinata didn't want to make a bet on him, but she's definitely on Naruto's side.

The game began.

"No other rules, beardy old man?" Naruto asked before starting.

"Yup. Just don't miss the balls. If you miss one… you lose." The man replied.

"All right! Let's begin, dattebayo!" Naruto exclaimed as he took the first ball. Everyone cheered energetically and began throwing their moneys on separate boxes.

_Bet…_

Hinata couldn't believe that they were betting and gambling on Naruto.

Was that a bad thing? This one was just for fun.

"It's your turn to bet, young lady." A drunkard said.

Hinata shook her head. "I-I don't bet, sir." She replied.

"Oh, don't be so picky!" The man yelled. He then forcefully grabbed on Hinata's hand and removed her golden bracelet circling her wrist. "Bet this one." He chuckled and threw the bracelet to the box where it said that Naruto would win.

"Oh no…" Hinata gulped hard. She could do nothing but watch her bracelet get buried by coins and paper moneys on the box. That was her mother's only heirloom, and now, it was taken away from her. She stood from her seat and went to Naruto. "You better win." She slightly raised her voice.

Quickly, she sat down beside the box where her bracelet was placed. She never planned shifting her gaze away from it.

"You can count on me." Naruto said.

Everyone was expecting him to throw the ball directly to the bull's eye. But, they were wrong. Instead, he dropped the ball to his feet and kicked it. The crowd's jaws dropped as they saw what just Naruto did.

"Is he out of his mind? Does he plan to lose?"

"That brat! Shouldn't have bet on him!"

"Damn! I'm losing!"

The crowd complained…

But, the ball entered the hole clearly and neatly. Their negative comments were replaced by enthusiastic cheers.

Hinata was relieved.

Nine more balls to go.

He shot another one. Another one, then another, followed by another. All of his shots were neat and accurate. Until it's down to the last ball…

A lot of people were already frustrated because they were losing the bet. A few were celebrating—as well as Hinata because Naruto was indeed, doing a great job. The bearded man was glaring at Naruto in angst. The man stealthily went to Naruto's platform and waited for him to launch his final shot with the last ball. When the lad made his stance, the bearded man threw a stone towards the platform, making it wobble.

Naruto felt this. He nearly lost his balance due to the shaky platform but he was still able to hit the final ball. But his kick was different from the first ones he had because he lost his focus.

The audience waited for it… waited… waited… until,

The crowd that bet on Naruto's lost leaped in joy.

It was Naruto's lost.

The people made their way to the huge box right next to Hinata and tried to reach for the money. But one person opposed. It was the old drunkard and his gang.

"You fools! You won by cheating! That bearded cyborg threw a rock on the lad's platform. I saw it with my own eyes." The old man shouted as his mates agreed.

"You're drunk, dude. The first class guy failed to shoot the ball, so it's our win!" A youngster argued.

The whole place went crazy. They all wanted to get back their money and bets due to the cheating moves of the bearded man.

Without the people knowing, Hinata had already taken back her golden necklace. She replaced her bet with some golden coins she had in her pocket. She was suddenly grabbed by Naruto and was led out of the crazy crowd. When they were near the exit, Naruto halted and removed his silver necklace.

"What are you doing?" Hinata stared with wide eyes.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm removing it." Naruto replied with an "as a matter of fact" tone.

"Eh?" Hinata was shocked. "But, a lot saw that you were cheated by him." She appealed.

"But, I still lost, didn't I? A lost is still a lost. I don't go back on my own words." Naruto said with a serious tone of voice, he then turned back to the bearded man that was staring at them. He lifted up the silver necklace and showed it to the man. "Here, catch!" He exclaimed and threw it towards the guy.

The man caught the necklace on his hands and gave him a confused look.

"Keep it safe, old man! See ya, _dattebayo_!" Naruto exclaimed then he went out of the room with Hinata.

"What a… unique young lad." The bearded man said as he watched them go.

* * *

><p>Naruto and Hinata were finally out of the crazy room. But, there was another challenge waiting for them. A new trouble that was worse than betting with the drunkards and old men. Just few spaces away, there stood his grandfather's searching squad.<p>

"They're here." Naruto whispered to Hinata.

"W-what should we do?" She asked nervously.

"Of course… run!" Naruto dragged Hinata as they took his big escape.

With their loud steps, the guards found them.

Naruto and Hinata went faster. They ran into several rooms, trying to lose the guards tracking them. But, whenever they reach a room, more forces came to catch them.

They took a lot of turns, elevators, stairs and corridors. They were running non-stop now and she was starting to get tired.

Naruto noticed this, so he was forced to carry her on his back.

"N-naruto-kun? _Nani surun desu ka?_" Hinata panicked. She tried to get down from him, but failed.

He was gripping her legs on his side tightly so she won't fall down. "Baka! Don't move too much. We'll both fall." He shot back.

"You need not to carry me. I'm fine and I can still run." Hinata protested.

"You'll just continue to slow us down. We'll get caught!" Naruto argued. "Plus, I know a place where they can't find us."

"Where?" She asked.

Naruto smirked. "Just wait and you'll see."

…..

Hinata didn't know what to feel. She was confused. They just met each other last night; all they knew about each other was their names. No more than that. Her cousin even told her to stay away from him. But she felt something different inside. A feeling that she has never felt before. She didn't know how to describe it; her heart was pounding way too fast, her cheeks were heating up, and she couldn't take her eyes off him. He was the very first guy to be so close to her like this. He was not a sibling, a relative or anything. _Just another guy._ She was carried by her cousin several times like this when they were small kids, but this one completely felt different.

Deep inside her, she had to admit that she was relatively… happy.

Due to her deep thoughts, she didn't notice that they already lost the guards. They were in a quiet place and no one else was around but the two of them.

Naruto gently placed Hinata down on the floor and confidently introduced the place.

They were at a hidden deck on the third class. Naruto found this secret hide out with Sasuke yesterday when they were touring around the yacht. It took a lot to get in this place. They had to crawl, climb, unlock some doors, push boxes away, break some rusty bars and jump through windows. It's a good thing that he remembered the path coming here where no one can spot them unless the guards have extremely mad skills.

The deck looked exactly like the one on the first class. It was more relaxing down here because it was nearer to the water.

"Let's stay here for a moment." Naruto said as he slumped down the floor. He leaned his back on the wall and comfortably threw his legs forward to get a relaxing position. When he got one, he let out a sigh of relief. After all, he did a lot of running this morning. He hated to admit it, but he was tired.

Hinata went to Naruto and crouched next to him. She hugged her knees closer to her body and smiled at him. "It was fun." She said softly.

Naruto turned his head to her. "What?" He asked.

Hinata felt uncomfortable with his stare. She began blushing again. "It… it was fun." She stammered."I never thought that exploring the yacht with you would be so fun. It was the very first time I've abide my father's rules. Somehow… I was able to enjoy this trip," She gave him a look. "_Arigato,_ Naruto-kun. Because of you… I was able to experience new things. We've known each other for only a short time, but you still made time for me. You brought happiness to me so, I sincerely thank you for that." She smiled.

Naruto didn't know what to feel. He was confused. It's true that they've only known each other for a short time, but it didn't feel like that. Seeing Hinata smile somewhat made him happy, too, and he didn't know why. When he first saw her, she looked so depressed… but now, her face was full of joy. And that happiness was caused by him. What an honor.

"Hey, after this trip… we'll get separated, right?" Naruto asked.

Hinata looked down. "Yes." She answered.

Damn… why was he feeling so sad? They barely knew each other… they're just ACQUAINTANCE. But…

"Let's meet again." Naruto said. The words came out of his mouth was completely different from what he was thinking.

Hinata was wide eyed. "E-eh?" She couldn't believe what she heard.

Naruto raised a brow. "Why? You got a problem with that?" He asked.

Hinata shook her head and hid her face from the guy. "It's not like that. I-I feel the same way, too." She replied. "I want to meet you again."

"Then, let's make a promise." Naruto leaned closer to her. He raised his pinky finger and said "We'll definitely meet again."

Hinata didn't hesitate to tie her finger with Naruto's. "Yes. We'll meet again." She said.

There, they made a pinky swear. But, they both heard their stomachs growled.

That kind of killed the moment. They couldn't help themselves but laugh. After all, they haven't eaten their breakfast.

* * *

><p>"You idiot! You caused a disaster!" Jiraiya shouted.<p>

Not only that Naruto and Hinata escaped the meal, they returned to the room where the third class passengers were having their feast. Both of them ate their breakfast there.

"Did you realize what you put yourselves in? Did you realize what you just did to Hinata?" Jiraiya scolded.

"Look, I'm sorry. We just wanted to tour around and get rid of our boredom." Naruto answered.

"Boredom? You really are an idiot." Jiraiya gave him a knuckle punch on the head.

"Please, don't scold Naruto-kun. I'm also at fault." Hinata interrupted.

Hiashi shot her a glare. "We know that. You did a horrible mistake. Since when did I teach you to abide rules? I've done everything for your sake. Especially for your hea—"

"_Wakatta desu." _Hinata quickly cut her father's words before he could say more. "_Gomenasai, otou-sama." _She bowed.

"I apologize about this, too, Hiashi." Jiraiya said and forced Naruto to bow with him. "I'll make sure this won't happen again."

Hiashi nodded. "No need to worry. Nothing bad happened, so it's fine." He said. "Let's go, Hinata."

Hinata then followed her father. Before leaving the room, she gave Jiraiya polite bow and to Naruto, her last glance.

"_Arigato_." She murmured.

He was able to read her lips. As a response, he gave her a slight nod. Then, she was gone.

Jiraiya narrowed his eyes when he saw this. He placed his hand on top of Naruto's head with the intention to ruin his hair. "I saw that. I can't believe you're growing up, Naruto." He smirked. "You like her, don't you?"

Naruto pushed the old man away. "What the heck? No way." He protested.

"Don't be so shy." Jiraiya placed a hand around Naruto. "I can feel that you're going to grow into someone like me."

Naruto shoved him away. "No way in hell. I don't want to be a perverted old man." He said and exited the room.

When he got outside, he saw Sasuke leaning on a nearby pillar. "You've been here for long?"

"You got yourself into so much trouble again. Glad I'm not involved. I don't wanna deal with her cousin, and worse, with her father." Sasuke said.

Naruto shot him a glare. "Are you just here to make fun of me?"

Sasuke smirked slightly. "Sort of."

"Then get away from me." Naruto half growled. He walked at the middle of the corridor to return to his room, but a figure in front stopped him.

_Tsk, Hyuga Neji._

"What do you need?" Naruto glared at Neji.

Neji walked closer to Naruto and grabbed him by the front shirt. "Stay away from my cousin, you got that?"

"Get your hands off me." Naruto said. "You know… you're lucky to have her as your cousin. If it wasn't for Hinata, I should've beaten you up."

Neji smirked and pushed Naruto away. "You have guts to say that to me." Suddenly, a guy from behind walked beside Naruto. It was Sasuke. Getting ready for assisting Naruto when troubles come. "What's this? Your reinforcement?"

Sasuke just eyed Neji like his prey.

"I really am unfortunate to have you two in my class again." Neji said. "But, what can I do? Uzumaki Naruto is the grandson of the famous jewel collector, and Uchiha Sasuke is the son of an important investor in our company. I should show respect to them so they would show respect to me. How foolish." He shot them a glare. "You…" he referred to Naruto. "Don't get near Hinata again."

"Or else what?" Naruto dared.

"I won't be merciful." Neji said with a serious tone of voice and left the two boys alone.

Naruto's blood boiled. He really can't understand why the girls in school like him. What's so great about that Hyuga guy? He's handsome? Rich? Smart? But his personality definitely stunk. He waited for so long to have the moment to punch the guy on the face, but this day seemed not the right day. He'll definitely get him.

"So, what do you plan to do? Leave her alone?" Sasuke asked.

"No way. Who do you think I am to quit?" Naruto said. "I made a promise… And I'll definitely keep that."

TO BE CONTINUED

* * *

><p><strong>AN: whooo.. done! xD Hope you enjoyed it. I'll begin typing the next chapter. btw, there are more pairings here. Not only NaruHina. Also, SasuSaku, ShikaIno, NejiTen, and more! Just look forward to it! Please feel free to review. I love you all! **

**VOCABULARY**

**Ohayo- Good morning**

**Ohayo Gozaimasu- A formal way to say good morning**

**Daijobu desu ka- Are you all right?**

**Chigau desu yo- It's not like that**

**Daijobu- it's okay**

**Chotto matte- wait**

**Otou-sama- honorable father**

**Jou-chan- missy**

**Arigato- thank you**

**Wakatta desu- I understand**

**Gomenasai- I'm sorry**

**Yabai- this is bad**

**Ikezou- let's go**

**Baka- idiot**

**Nani surun desuka- what are you doing?**


	3. Chapter 3: Transferred Student

**A/N: HERE IT COMES! whohooo! thank you so much for the reviews. I love you all! I fixed some errors in the second chapter too when I re-read it.  
><strong>

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN NARUTO.  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 3: The Transferred Student<strong>

Three weeks have passed. Classes have resumed for Naruto and Sasuke. They were both Junior students, and in the first class section. 2-A. As usual, they arrived early in school to have a morning practice in the soccer field. Naruto was the forward of the team, and Sasuke was the goal keeper.

After an hour, they went back to the locker room to refresh themselves, and at exactly 8am, they returned to the classroom.

Before entering the room, Naruto had to plug in his earphones and maximize the volume of his IPod. He could predict that a lot of girls would make his eardrums bleed again because of their fan-screaming. After all, Sasuke was the most popular guy in school and Naruto was the ace player of the soccer team. Whenever the girls see them, they always go "GA-GA" that Naruto couldn't stand it. But there was this ultimate protector they had; Haruno Sakura. With this girl beside them, they're definitely safe from the fan girls.

When Naruto and Sasuke entered the room, familiar faces welcomed them. Thank God there were no fan girls. There were some who adore them, but NO extreme fan girls.

"Finally, you two arrived." A girl with bright pink hair, green eyes and fair skin approached them. "Thank me that I reserved you two a seat at the back." She said. This was Sakura. Naruto's long time crush. The Haruno Sakura that everyone was talking about. Beauty, brains, money, fame, athletics—just like Naruto, she has it all. Plus, she's good at cooking and doing house chores. She was the perfect lady that every boy in the school dreamt about.

"Plus, you two are so unfair!" Sakura crossed her arms over her chest. "Jiraiya-_oji-san_ told me that you two were in a world class ship during vacation. You didn't even invite me!" She complained.

Naruto yawned. "There was nothing fun in that ship at all." He went to his seat and slumped his head down the desk.

Sasuke did the same thing.

"What are you talking about? It's a world class ship, for crying out loud! Who would not be amazed there?" Sakura frowned. "Sometimes, I don't understand your tastes. You guys are just way too weird!"

"Maybe a ship like that is not meant for us." Sasuke lifted his head.

Sakura sighed in disappointment. "I should've been there instead of your lazy butts."

Sasuke chuckled. "No can do. It's over. Besides, it wasn't half bad because Naruto found someone special." He said.

Sakura suddenly got interested with the new topic. "Naruto met someone?" she blinked her eyes several times. "Who is it? Who is it?" she was eager to find out who it was.

"I'm not telling, Sakura-chan." Naruto replied. He then gave Sasuke a glare as if saying _don't even think about telling her. _

Sasuke quickly understood this so he gave his best friend a slight nod.

"Come on, spit it out! Who is this special someone? Heyyy!" Sakura pleaded.

But neither of the boys answered her.

"Answer me, will you?" Sakura forced them to but it was completely no use.

"Sakura! Come here, we have a news for you." A girl with long blonde her which was tied into a ponytail called her.

Sakura knew that forcing Naruto and Sasuke would do her no good. So, she decided to leave it for now. But, that doesn't mean that she would easily give up. No matter what, she had to find out who it was.

She made her way to the girl who called and asked, "What is it, Ino?"

"There's going to be a transferred student. I heard that she's from another country." Ino said as she showed Sakura her cell phone for evidence.

"A girl?" Sakura doubted.

"Yeah, but don't worry. I bet we're still prettier than her!" Ino giggled.

"That's not what I meant, Ino. I'm just afraid that she would be another fan girl again. The president of Sasuke-kun's fans club doesn't stop recruiting members." Sakura said. "Remember what happened to you last year? You were completely manipulated by that Karin! All thanks to me, you're still with us. Alive and breathing. I can still remember Shikamaru's face when he found out that you nearly joined."

Ino frowned. "Hey. What's the connection with that?" she rolled her eyes at the statement where Sakura said something about Shikamaru. "Anyways… I'm so excited to meet her! I heard she's also rich like us. Hmm… the daughter of the owner of a museum, I suppose. But whatever! We'll go shopping, watch movies and tour around!" She exclaimed.

Sakura sweatdropped. "Yeah, right…" That's right, Ino is very shopaholic.

After a moment, their homeroom teacher had arrived. He had gray spiky hair and he wore a black mask that only showed his right eye. This was the heart throb teacher of the school, his name is Kakashi Hatake. What a lucky class. There was Naruto, then Sasuke, and now, it even had Kakashi.

"Starting this day, I'll be your homeroom teacher. I'm Hatake Kakashi, _yoroshiku_." He introduced. "I teach chemistry. I have nothing special to tell about myself, so let's end my introduction." He then handed out papers to the students in the front seat to pass it backwards. "Fill up the self-introduction paper. I'll be back later to get them." He said and walked across the room.

"_Chotto matte kudasai, sensei!" _Ino rose from her seat.

"What?" Kakashi turned to entertain her for a while.

"Where's the new student? Isn't she with you?" Ino asked.

"Oh, right. She won't be able to make it this morning due to some circumstances. But, you'll meet her later in the welcome party." Kakashi answered. "Anymore questions? If none, then I shall take my leave. The principal needs me to help her prepare for the party later. Just wait for your next subject teacher."

_SLAM._

The homeroom teacher left them. He was just here for thirty seconds to be exact.

Is that teacher really serious with his job? If he was, it doesn't seem like it.

"You know what… I'm starting to think twice about our homeroom teacher. It's true that he is a HEART THROB, but he looks like a weird person." Ten-ten, a girl with twin hair buns, said as she passed the paper backwards.

"Circumstances? I hope the new student is fine." The guy with thick brows, named Lee, said as he received the paper from Ten-ten. "Come to think of it, Neji still hasn't arrived. It's rare for him to come late."

"Well, Neji told me he had to take care of some family business at home. But, he'll be here soon." Ten-ten replied.

This really was the luckiest class to have. There's Sasuke… Naruto, Kakashi and… Neji.

* * *

><p>"No, you can't! You definitely can't!" Neji shouted from his room. He was already in his school uniform while talking with someone over the phone. "Why do you have to be transferred here? It's way better for you to stay there!"<p>

"Neji-ni-san, I want to go back there, where I was born." Said by the person he was talking to. "Otou-sama already fixed everything. He talked to your mother that I would be staying in your mansion starting from now on. The papers are also taken care of, and I'm on my way there."

Neji sat down on his bed and groaned. "Why didn't you consult me first? You don't know what you're doing, Hinata." He scolded.

"Of course, I do! I want to go to the same school as you, is that a bad thing?" Hinata shot back.

No matter how Neji wanted to protest to her decision, he could do nothing anymore to stop her. "Fine, what can I do?" he sighed in defeat. "So, what time will you arrive?"

"I think… this afternoon. Wait for me, okay?" Hinata said.

"Yeah, I will." Neji replied. "Oh, before I forgot. We're just half day today. So, you don't have to go to school anymore. Just go straight home and wait for me when I get back."

"Half day? But why?" Hinata asked.

"Well, there's this welcome party later. The school will be busy preparing for it so, you'll have to start tomorrow." Neji answered.

"Tomorrow?" Hinata sounded mad. "Why? Can't I go to the party with you?"

"YOU CAN'T." He commanded.

"No. I will go to the party." Hinata argued. "Even if you don't want me to… I WILL!"

Then flat line. The line was cut by Hinata and Neji was dumbfounded.

Whoa. For the very first time in his life, he heard her yell.

* * *

><p>12 noon.<p>

All the students in school were allowed to go home early to prepare for the party later.

_Another party._

Naruto had no choice but to attend it again. To tell the truth, he still hasn't recovered from the last time he went to a party. It was three weeks ago, at the yacht. It felt like he went to a hangover. And he didn't want that to happen again, but… it seemed the odds were not with him. He had to suffer another night. But, he didn't want to think about that.

Before going home, he called Sasuke and had a private conversation with him at the rooftop where no other could hear them.

Yes, this was Naruto's most awaited day.

Three weeks ago in the ship, he promised himself that he would confess to the girl he deeply loved since kindergarten. The girl was none other than Haruno Sakura. But first, he had to tell everything first to his most trusted best friend, Sasuke. For long he had hidden his true feelings, for long he lied that he didn't like anyone… for long that he lied to his own best friend. But now, he would tell everything to him. He would tell the truth to Sasuke. Things that he had never told anyone before.

"_Ne_, Sasuke." Naruto began. He looked directly at Sasuke's eyes, determined to spit it out.

Sasuke turned and paid attention to Naruto. It was rare for Naruto to call him out for a private conversation. He knew that this one was important.

"Remember those times when you asked about the girl I like?" Naruto asked, "And I reply that I have no one special in my mind."

Sasuke chuckled. "How could I forget? The last time I asked you was just three weeks ago, _baka_. I'm not yet old to forget such things."

"Well," Naruto gulped. "I'm here to admit things that I haven't told you yet." He said.

Naruto took a deep breath before anything else.

Sasuke waited for him to speak up.

Then, finally, Naruto mustered his courage to say it to Sasuke. "I like Sakura-chan."

There, he was able to say it. FINALLY!

His statement made Sasuke freeze on his spot for a while. The guy wasn't able to react immediately, so Naruto continued.

"Ever since we were little kids, I've always adored Sakura-chan. There were times that I want to confess to her, but… I seem so weak whenever she's in front of me. I… I planned to confess to her tonight at the party." Naruto said. "I just want to say this to you because for so long… FOR SO LONG, I lied to you about the girl I like. And I feel bad not telling you."

Sasuke chuckled and gave Naruto a strong smack on the head. "You idiot. You think, I haven't seen that? You think, I don't know that?"

Naruto gave him a confused look. "You knew?"

"Of course, I knew. I've been with you for so many years. Your actions were so obvious. From the start, I knew you admired her. But you just don't know how to express yourself." Sasuke replied.

Naruto seemed dumbfounded. Was he really that obvious?

"I'm proud of you." Sasuke gave him a smirk. "You finally said it."

"Yeah. I was afraid that I would not be able to tell you." Naruto scratched the back of his head.

"Well, good luck later. I'd be watching you." Sasuke said,

"Yeah… thanks." Naruto felt lighter inside. Now, he has nothing to worry about but Sakura.

* * *

><p>PARTY TIME!<p>

It was 6pm in the evening, every student in the school has gathered at the school garden. Each and everyone wore formal attires as if this was already the senior prom. There was orchestra, world-class foods, beverages, waiters, and as for the venue, the tables were arranged well and the garden was decorated incredibly.

What could you expect from a high-rated school? Only rich people could afford here.

Naruto was with his old pals again. Mr. Coat and Mr. Tie. But this time, he had a good reason why he wore them. Not only because this was a formal occasion, but all because of Sakura. As usual, the girl was attracting too much attention. She looked stunning with her red cocktail dress, her hair was all up, and a few strands were curled on her nape and ears. Her jade necklace matched up with her simple but daring look, and her red high heels fitted her feet beautifully.

She was like a princess… and Naruto couldn't take his eyes off her.

"Naruto-kun!"

An annoying voice interrupted his thoughts. It was none other but Rock Lee.

Naruto secretly rolled his eyes. "What do you want?" he asked.

"I was just wondering if you saw Neji." Lee said.

Again, Naruto rolled his eyes. But this time, he didn't hide it from Lee. "Fuzzy brows, do you really think that I want to see that Jerk's face? Do you know how happy I am this morning just to see him for ONLY three hours? Now, you're asking me where he is. What a joke."

"_Hidoi yo_, Naruto-kun!" Lee said, "Why can't you get in good terms with him? You've known each other for long, and you still don't stop fighting. I think, it's time to make it up with him."

"We don't have to make up, thick brows. We didn't fight or anything, we just HATE each other. And seriously, are you blind? I hate him, he hates me. There's NO WAY we can be in good terms so wake up!" Naruto shot back and crossed his arms over his chest. "If you care so much, then why don't you tell him to get a life? If you're successful, I'd be friends with him."

Of course, that was a big LIE. There's no way in hell that he would be friends with that _Royal Jerk._

Lee dropped the subject before the conversation gets worse. "Uhmm… have you met the new student?" he asked.

"The new student?" Naruto wondered. Yeah, right. There was a new student in the house and he completely forgot about it. Well, as if he cared. "Not yet. Have you?" He asked.

Lee shook his head. "Not yet, also. But, I know who she is. I just forgot the name." He said. "According to Ten-ten, she's Neji's cousin from his well-respected uncle, Hiashi-sama."

Naruto nearly choked when he was drinking his glass of lemonade juice. He looked at Lee with wide surprised cerulean eyes. "W-what?" he coughed.

"The new student is Neji's cousin from Hiashi-sama, the president of a world-class museum." Lee repeated.

Naruto couldn't believe what his ears were hearing.

The new student was Hyuga Hiashi's daughter.

Neji's cousin.

Could it be… could it be the girl that he met back in the yacht? The girl who captivated him when he heard her sing a very important song in his life and the girl he promised to see again. He didn't expect for it to come too soon. It was just three weeks since they last saw each other, but now they would meet again.

But… is it Hinata? Where is she right now?

Where the hell is Neji?

Wait, did he just ask himself where the hell that jerk was?

Oh, yes… He certainly did.

"I don't remember her name, but I think it's Hina… or Hikari or Hibari," Lee tried his best to think back. But he was no use.

"Hinata. Hyuga Hinata." Naruto said.

Lee snapped his fingers and agreed. "Yes! That's it! That's her name. Hyuga Hinata. But…" he paused and frowned. "How did you know her name? Have you met each other?"

Naruto just gave Lee a smirk in response.

She was here.

She was the new student.

Where are you, Hinata?

To be continued.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Done with the third one... it was short. sorry. For me, it was a crappy chapter! I apologize. I remembered when I was making this, I had an extreme head ache. I guess, it was last month. Also, while typing this, I had headache! oh, darn. Anyways, feel free to review. I'll make sure that the next chapter would be very exciting. It's already in my draft... =') Plus, tell me if Sasuke was a little nice. xD I'm having a hard time writing about his character.  
><strong>

**VOCABULARY**

**Yoroshiku- nice to meet you**

**Chotto matte kuda sai- wait a minute, please**

**Ne- hey**

**Hidoi yo – you're cruel**

**Baka- idiot**


	4. Chapter 4: A Warm Hug

**A/N: here it is! the 4th chapter! Thank you so much for the reviews! To tell the truth, I was waiting for the reviews to reach "21", because 21 is a really important number to me. ^^ Especially, I would like to thank Shadow Writer 97 because she was the 21st person who reviewed this story. And I would like to thank the following: **

**animelover1022**

**hiddenfan  
><strong>

**Kibble Kin Slider**

**Haldirelf**

**Kitten9322**

**NaruHina Love birds**

**hinataellis**

**RoseTiger**

**ADayOnceDawned**

**Shadow Writer 97**

**Tell me if I was forgetting someone! :)  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 4: A Warm Hug<strong>

Sakura was in the center of attention again along with her best friend, Ino. Boys here, boys there, boys all around her. Wherever she goes, they always follow. She can't even go to the restrooms to re-touch her make-up. These boys were definitely starting to get to her nerves. Sure, these guys were rich, and good looking. But she never liked any of them. She's always been the sweet heart of the school—there were advantages and disadvantages about it but she was still thankful. After all, she did everything she could to get herself in her state right now.

She was entitled as the most popular girl in school. The school belle.

She did everything to be popular and be a model student just to be noticed by one guy.

And that lucky guy is none other than Uchiha Sasuke. Her childhood friend.

Tonight, she promised herself that she would tell her real feelings about him. And no one would stand in her way.

She started walking towards Sasuke, and little did Sasuke know, she was about to confess to him.

Sakura ignored all the boys surrounding her and just focused on Sasuke, NO ONE ELSE.

"Sasuke-kun!" She cheerfully called him.

The ever dazzling Uchiha Sasuke turned to look at her. Formal coat and tie he was wearing, he looked extremely _HOT_. It was rare to see him wear something like this, so she had to take a better look.

"Ah, Sakura. Have you seen Naruto?" Sasuke asked.

"Well… umm." Sakura gulped hard. "No. But, I think he's around here somewhere."

"You still haven't seen him?" Sasuke frowned. "That idiot…" he whispered to himself. He was about to make his way away from her.

But, no. She can't let that happen. She definitely had to stop him. She had to tell it to him before he leaves her!

"Wait!" She yelled and grabbed his arm.

Sasuke halted on his steps and turned back to the pink haired girl. "What?"

"I need to tell you something…" She said softly that only Sasuke could hear.

"…." He waited patiently.

Sakura had never felt so nervous before. Her heart was pounding madly, and her knees wobbled. She never expected everything about this would be so hard. The only words that she had to say to him was "_I like you",_ but those simple words were hard to say.

"What?" He was starting to get impatient. She was not speaking.

Sakura took a deep breath first before anything. Here it goes.

"I… I like you." She said loudly.

Her words stunned Sasuke.

"I like you, Sasuke-kun. I'm sure about what I'm feeling." Sakura repeated. "Since we were little kids, I've always had a crush on you but… I didn't know how to say it, so I hid it until now. I couldn't fight these emotions anymore. For ten years… you're the only one I've dreamed of. I want to be with you, Sasuke-kun."

Finally, she confessed. Those were the words she left unspoken and at long last, she was able to say it all.

"So… I want to know what you feel about me." Sakura said with a determined look on her face.

Sasuke placed his hands inside his pockets and looked at Sakura in the eye.

Sakura felt her heart skipping a beat again. She always loved his black orbs, and for the very first time, he finally looked at her directly in her eyes.

"Sakura," Sasuke began. "Are you sure about your emotions?"

Sakura clenched her fists and walked closer to the guy. "Yes, I am! For all these years, you were the only one. The one and only Sasuke-kun that I wanted to achieve in my life." She stated.

Sasuke looked down and shut his eyes. After a moment of hesitation, he spoke his mind. "You don't deserve me, Sakura. There's a guy who loves you more than you think." He said. "He's always there when you need him, and he sincerely cared for you more than I do."

Sakura furrowed her brows. Why was he not getting straight to the point? This was not the Sasuke she knew.

"What are you talking about?" she asked.

"It's Naruto. Naruto admired you more than anyone else. He didn't know how to express himself." He paused. "Hn. What an idiot he is."

Sakura was wide eyed. "Naru…to?"

Sasuke was about to tell her more, but suddenly she ran away before he could make further explanations. He followed where she was going just to find out that she was approaching Naruto.

* * *

><p>Naruto was busy looking around for Neji. Long hair, long hair… he couldn't see a guy with long brown hair. He hated to admit it but, he really wanted to see Neji. And for what reason? Of course, Hinata.<p>

He couldn't understand what he was feeling when he heard her name from Rock Lee. He suddenly felt excited. For a while, he also forgot what his main objective was. He forgot all about Sakura. Well, he was _confused_. Would he confess to the girl first? Or… would he look for the long-haired jerk first?

But, his confusion ended when he saw a familiar girl walking towards his way. The pink-haired girl wearing a red dress was walking towards him with a very frustrated look on her face.

"Naruto." Sakura called him with a loud voice, causing to attract the other people's attention.

Naruto gave her a confused look. "What wrong, Sakura-chan?"

"Tell me the truth. Do you like me?" Naruto couldn't help himself but back away when he heard her shot him those words.

"Answer me." She added.

The blonde-haired male was dumbfounded. He was not able to explain himself to the girl. He wanted to tell the truth to her, but his throat felt like it was being stabbed by millions of unknown knives.

"I just confessed to Sasuke-kun. He told me that you like me. Is that true?" Sakura sounded mad.

Naruto looked at Sasuke for a while, and then they were making their eye-to-eye conversation that only the both of them could understand. No words came out from them, only stares were needed. After a few seconds, somehow, Naruto understood why Sasuke did that. He turned back to Sakura and got ready to face the maiden.

"Yes. I like you a lot." Naruto finally gave his answer.

This time, it was Sakura who got stunned. Her eyes went off to different directions—it usually does when she felt lost.

"But," Naruto paused. "Only as a friend." He added. He turned back to Sasuke and gave him a gentle knuckle punch on the chest. "Hey, _omedetou_. You just captured the heart of the most popular girl in school. Good job, dattebayo!" he grinned widely. "Make sure that you won't hurt her, got it? Or else… I won't forgive you." He threatened.

Sasuke frowned hardly. "What are you saying, idiot? I don't—"

Before Sasuke could explain himself, Naruto stretched his arms in the air and energetically declared, _"Yosh! Minna! _Let's celebrate for the new born couple! Let's congratulate this chick magnet!" he winked at Sasuke.

Sakura was still frozen on her spot. She couldn't believe what she just heard from Naruto. She knew him for already ten years, and she could tell if he was lying or not. But, the only thing that she couldn't read about him was his feelings for her. Why couldn't she read that? Why was she not able to realize that?

Naruto placed both of his arms around Sakura and Sasuke and they pulled them closer together. "You two look perfect! I'm glad that my best friends finally became a couple!" he then let them go and walked in front of them. "So, I'll just leave you two for a while. I'll go inside to get some things. You two have fun, okay?" he winked teasingly at Sasuke again and he entered the school building.

When Naruto was out of sight, the crowd began whispering things under their breath. Each of them had different opinions. Negative and positive…

Sasuke stood in front of Sakura and glared intensely at her. "What the heck were you thinking, Sakura? I'm disappointed in you. You don't have to face Naruto that way." He sounded mad. "How could you do that to him?"

Sakura opened her mouth but no words came out. She felt her heart sank because she could feel that Naruto was just trying hard to be happy for them. She cared for him, too. But maybe, not as much as he cared for her.

She treated him like her twin brother. Always there when she needs him, always there to cheer her up when she was lonely, always there to protect her from any harm, and always there in most crucial moments of her life. And what did she give him in return? _Pain_.

What kind of girl was she?

She knew…

She was a selfish one.

"Sakura… you okay?" Ino went to her and patted her back gently.

Sakura didn't respond. Without saying anything, she made her way to the rest rooms and left the venue.

Ino was the only one who could follow her.

* * *

><p>He lied. He lied to her. He lied to them. <em>Again! <em>

This was the most awaited day of his life. For ten years… For ten years, he waited for this moment to arrive. And what intelligent move did he do? He blew it all away. He wasted it. He broke his lifetime promise.

He was _worthless._

Why wasn't he able to tell her?

He's an idiot. A fool! A useless jerk!

Naruto was running as fast as he can to reach the rooftop. He didn't care if he hits his feet hard on the staircase; all he cared about right now was to reach the rooftop where he'd be alone. Where no one could see him express himself. Where no one could see him_ crying_.

When he had reached the rooftop, he settled himself at the center and slumped his knees on the ground. He began punching the floor until his knuckles ached and bleed. Tears were flowing madly down from his eyes, and in every punch he exerted, he mumbled the words "Damn it!"

"Damn it. Damn it. Damn it!" He shouted until he voice cracked.

He was like that for almost ten minutes. Both of his knuckles were already bleeding severely, still he didn't stop hurting himself. The pain that he was experiencing on his fists was nothing compared to the pain running in his chest. He felt his heart would explode due to the indescribable pain he was experiencing. He wanted to disappear. He wanted to avoid all the miseries he was encountering. He wanted to throw it all away in a snap of a finger…

But it was hard.

He still couldn't get her out of his mind. Her eyes, her hair, her face and her smile… he can't throw them all away. No matter how hard he tries, they would still remain.

He would still remember them even if he didn't want to.

But, he has to do the right thing here.

Even if it hurts, he _has _to set her free.

"_Doushitan desu ka, Naruto-kun?" _Naruto heard a familiar voice coming from above.

Slowly, he lifted his head up to see who it was. He stopped hitting the floor and looked closely at the girl standing in front of him.

With the river of tears flowing out of his sky blue eyes, he had a blurry vision. But, he could still describe her appearance. Her snow white skin shined through the hint light of the full moon, her dark blue hair which looked more like a black color in the night swayed along with the gentle wind, and her pale white eyes stared at him with full of concern.

He knew who this girl was.

He had seen her before, and there's no way that he could possibly forget about her.

Hinata brought out a white handkerchief from her purse and bent down to Naruto. She gently wiped off his tears and asked, "Why are you crying?"

As soon as his vision got cleared, he was able to see her well. She was wearing a long blue dress, and her hair was all down this time compared to the last time he saw her. She still looked beautiful.

"Naruto-kun, why are you crying?" she asked once again.

Naruto gave back her white handkerchief and wiped his wet eyes with the back of his long sleeves. "This is nothing." He replied coldly and sat up.

"You're hurt!" Hinata panicked when she saw his blood stained knuckles. She quickly grabbed for his hand and checked its injuries. Her white gloves were stained by the red liquid.

"I'm fine. Stay away from me." Naruto pushed her away weakly.

"You're not fine, Naruto-kun! You have to see a doctor—" Hinata argued but was cut by Naruto.

"So what? No one cares about me! Who would care if I was hurt? I have no parents. I lied to my best friends, I'm self-centered! Who would want someone like me in their lives?" He shouted. "You know… get out of here. I don't want to lose my temper to you."

Hinata didn't expect for their meeting to be like this.

But, she was hardheaded. She tore a piece of cloth from her dress and forced to get his hand. She tied the sheet around the lad's knuckles and wiped the droplets of blood on his foreskin.

"I don't need your pity." He growled.

"I don't pity you." Hinata stared directly at his eyes. "Haven't I told you before? As long as I'm alive, I want to be useful to other people. I want to help people. And that's what I'm doing to you. I'm helping you." She said.

Naruto looked away. "I don't need your help." He said softly. "I don't need anyone's help!" he raised his voice. "I'm sure… I can make it through. I'm going to be fine by myself, and I won't ever get hurt again! I have to be happy for Sakura-chan!" he punched the floor once again.

His knuckles began bleeding. "If I just knew… If I just knew... I should have told her sooner." He whispered as new tears formed again.

Hinata didn't know what was happening to him, but… he was in sorrow.

"Why don't you leave me? Go on and tell the others that a person like me can cry." He sniffed.

He didn't want anyone by his side right now…

Because he was feeling _weak_.

He was feeling _useless._

_Defenseless._

_Worthless._

These thoughts went away when he suddenly felt a light yet tight touch around his shoulders. He realized gentle arms around him. Hinata was hugging him from behind. "I won't do that… I won't leave you here all alone, crying. Just let it all out. You can cry all the way you want." She said with a soft and gentle tone of voice.

Naruto shut his eyes and held her arms by his weak hands. Again, tears continued flowing down on both of his cheeks. In every moan he made, Hinata hugged him even tighter—if that was still possible, to ease the pain away. Then… she started to sing him a song.

_Sometimes in our lives  
>We all have pain<br>We all have sorrow  
>But if we are wise<br>We know that there's always tomorrow_

_Lean on me_  
><em>When you're not strong<em>  
><em>And I'll be your friend<em>  
><em>I'll help you carry on<em>  
><em>For it won't be long<em>  
><em>'Till I'm gonna need<em>  
><em>Somebody to lean on<em>

Her soothing voice filled all over the cold and quiet place. Once again, she was able to bring comfort to him. Right now, her voice is the only thing he wants to hear, nothing else.

They stayed like that for twenty minutes; neither of them spoke nor moved when the song was over.

Naruto continued to cry until no more tears were coming out from his eyes. But, he didn't want Hinata to let him go. He felt that when she'd let go of him, the coldness would get back again. He was scared to be swallowed by the darkness. Right now, she's the only light who lit his dark mind. He was afraid to be alone.

"_Ne…_ Hinata," He spoke with a hoarse voice. "_Arigato_."

Hinata felt her heart skip a beat. She went back to her thoughts. She quickly let him go to not let him feel the loud pounding from her chest. She turned her back to him and started playing with her fingers nervously. Her face was as red as tomato, but she was thankful that it was dark enough to hide it from the lad.

"I-it's nothing…" she replied.

Without any signs, she felt strong arms wrap her body this time. This made her face even redder, and her heart beat louder.

"Don't leave me… please." Naruto whispered to her ear. He didn't want to let her go. With his arms around her, he felt more secure, because he knew, she would not be able to get away from him.

For a long time, they only shared the warmth that their bodies were making. They resisted the coldness of the breeze at the rooftop and stayed there until the party was over.

* * *

><p>At exactly 12 midnight, Naruto and Hinata decided to go down. The school personnel were left cleaning the school garden. They thought that they were the only students left, but they were wrong.<p>

There, they saw three people waiting for them.

Sasuke, Neji and… Sakura.

Neji had spotted them first; he quickly made his way towards Hinata. Grabbing her arms aggressively, he pulled her away from Naruto and faced her.

"Where have you been?" Neji glared at her hardly. "Why are you with that guy? I told you to stay away from him, didn't I?" he pointed accusingly at Naruto.

Hinata restrained the tightness of Neji's grip on her. "Calm down, Ni-san. We were just at the rooftop." She explained.

Neji noticed that Hinata's dress was torn and some parts were stained by blood. He disregarded Hinata's explanation and faced Naruto. He saw that the cloth was wrapped around Naruto's knuckles. He walked closer to the guy and glared intensely at him. "Didn't I warn you to stay away from her?"

Naruto glared back. "Do you think I'd be scared of you?" he said. "You know, I don't want to deal with someone like you right now. Take Hinata home, it's late." He walked pass him.

Neji suddenly pushed Naruto's shoulder. "I'm not done talking. Don't you turn your back on me."

"Who am I to respect someone like you?" he pushed Neji aside to clear his way. But there was another nuisance who stood blocking his path. His eyes were welcomed by none other than Sakura and Sasuke.

Seriously, does he have to deal with this in one shot? There was Neji, now, Sakura and Sasuke?

_Oh, for Pete's sake_.

"Get back here!" Neji placed his firm hand on Naruto's shoulder and clenched his free fist. He was about to give the blonde haired guy a strong punch when suddenly, Hinata interrupted by grabbing his threatening knuckles.

Hinata felt that the situation was tensing up so she decided to butt in. _"Ni-san… yamete kudasai."_ She begged. "I'm fine… Naruto-kun didn't do anything to me… and he's not that kind of person." She explained and desperately wanted Neji to stop his horrible intentions.

"Let's go home."

She stared deeply at his eyes which was also the same as hers.

Seeing his cousin beg for him like a lost puppy, there's no way that he couldn't calm himself for her. He slowly lowered his hand and regained his cool head. Giving Naruto one last glare, he grabbed Hinata and dragged her out of the school building.

Hinata bowed slightly at them to give respect before leaving. Then she saw Sakura bow back. For the last time, she shifted her gaze to Naruto.

Naruto watched her as she got dragged by the royal jerk.

Their eyes met for a while. Hinata didn't want to leave yet, but if she stayed longer, Neji would just lose his temper.

While she was walking away with Neji, Naruto saw a thing that words couldn't describe.

She gave him her innocent smile.

A smile that he couldn't measure.

When he had seen this, he felt the warmth instantly spread all over his chest. He didn't want for her to leave yet. But all thanks to Neji, she had to go home. If he was just not experiencing a bad night, he would have fought back. He would have stolen Hinata to keep her with him longer. But, he was not in the mood to fight. He still had to face bigger problems.

One down, one more to go.

"Naruto." Sakura spoke as she walked close to him. _"Daijobu ka?" _she asked with a concerned tone of voice. "You're bleeding!" she tried to reach for his hand but before she could touch him, Naruto withdrew his hand and stepped back.

"I'm fine. Nothing to worry about." He grinned. "You two, why are you still not home? It's late, dattebayo. Hey, Sasuke. Make sure she gets home safely, okay?" He said and glanced at the wall clock. "I need to go, too. Gramps might be waiting. See you later, lovebirds!"

"_Chotto_, Naruto…" Sakura called for him.

"I'm fine. Believe me." Naruto replied before Sakura could finish her statement. "Bye, guys." He waved a hand and ran away.

Sakura wanted to go after him, but couldn't. Her legs were frozen on the spot, and even if she wanted to scream for his name, she couldn't. Her throat was dry.

"Sakura." She heard a cold voice behind her. Slowly, she turned to the one who owned it.

"Think of this all over again. Do you really like me?" Sasuke glared hardly at her weak-looking eyes. "Like you, I can't stand seeing Naruto get hurt. But, if you're the cause of his agony and pain… even I can't forgive you." He stated and turned away from her. "I'll be waiting for you outside. I called your mother to pick you up." He added.

Sakura was left alone at the sight. She settled herself down on a nearby couch and tried to figure things out. She didn't know what to do anymore. She was so sure that she loved Sasuke, but… seeing Naruto get hurt like that, she couldn't forgive herself. He was getting hurt because of her. She knew it.

And she knew that… Naruto is way more important to Sasuke than her.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Neji and Hinata were on their way home riding the family's car.<p>

"Why do you have to be so mean to Naruto-kun?" Hinata said.

"Why do you always defend him?" Neji shot back. "I told you already, he's not what you think he is."

Hinata shook her head. "You're the one who's thinking of him wrongly. He's a nice guy if you would just try to understand him."

"Listen to me, Hinata. I knew him since middle school. He's a rebel. He makes trouble and he gets in trouble. You shouldn't be befriending someone like him. Choose your friends well. Choose someone who could understand you." Neji said.

"Or in other words… are you saying that I should stay away from anyone? Is that it?" Hinata clenched her fists on her lap. "Ni-san… I want to help people as much as I can! Naruto-kun needed my help that's why I was with him. He's suffering. He was lonely. He was scared. He needs somebody to lean on. I can't abandon him easily." Her voice cracked. "And all my life, I avoided having friends. Because I knew that no one could understand me. But… Naruto-kun was different. He gave joy to me that no one else gave me."

"It's because he doesn't know who you really are!" Neji raised his voice. "Only you, me, Hiashi-sama and Hanabi knows who you really are. Would he treat you the same way if he found out? Hinata, I'm doing this for your sake. Hiashi-sama entrusted you to me until he comes back. I'm doing what's best for you." He placed his big hands on top of her small ones.

"We don't want to see you get hurt again. You've already had too much to carry on with your shoulders. And… it's not only you that would get hurt. Even _him_."

Hinata shut her eyes and lowered her head. "I know that." She said with a soft voice. "But… why don't you give him a chance? There must be a reason why…" she paused and looked up to him. "There must be a reason why God let me meet Naruto-kun. There must be a reason why our paths crossed."

This time, Neji didn't know how to counter her. He hated to admit it, but during times they were having arguments about things, he always lose just because of her deep reasoning. Now, she did it again.

She was always good in getting God involved in even the smallest things. Well, the maiden was right. God is always involved. And Neji had no abilities to counter that.

All he could do was look away from her. He sighed in defeat.

"Just one chance." He said.

TO BE CONTINUED.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: whew! done. It's longer than the previous one. I hope you liked it! Guys, I have a confession to make... Chapter 5 is not with me right now. TT_TT it's still with my classmate. She desperately wanted to read it so... I had to gave it to her. The next chapter would be published next week, I guess. Well, classes will resume for me this week. (BOO!) I maybe having a hard time updating, but I'll do my best to update as much as I can!**

**The Neji and Naruto fight isn't supposed to be like that... but, sorry! I got carried away. xD**

**enough.. too long for an Author's note.**

**VOCABULARY**

**-chan- suffix used for teenage girls, children and babies**

**-kun- suffix used for teenage boys, and male children**

**Dattebayo- I think we all knew what this means. ^_^**

**Omedetou- Congratulations**

**Yosh- all right**

**Minna- everyone**

**Doshitan desu ka?- is something the matter?**

**Ni-san- big brother; older brother; brother**

**Chotto- wait**

**Chotto matte kuda sai-a more formal way of saying wait**

**Yamete kuda sai- please, stop**

**Daijobu ka- are you ok?**


	5. Chapter 5: The Rebellious son

**A/N:  
><strong>I'm so sorry for not updating! It took so long because I was very busy at school. Assignments, quizzes, activities... oooohhh... it's so troublesome! It's killing me. Oh well, I'm such a bad author. When I had the free time... I spent it just reading KHR! Well... Kyoya is soooooooooooooo cool! as well as Belphegor and Flan! And don't forget about MUKURO! :)

So much for the author's note. I'd like to thank your reviews! I sincerely apologize for not updating soon. It was 2 weeks, is it not?

Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in Naruto.**

**Plus, sorry for mis-lettering your name, HaldirElf!  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 5: The Rebellious Son<strong>

Eventhough the school allowed the students to have a one day break from the tiresome welcome party last night, Naruto couldn't feel the break at all. It's already one in the afternoon; he didn't step out of his bedroom since he got home last midnight. He was still not having his breakfast, lunch and even dinner. Right. Last night he spent the whole party crying at the rooftop with a girl. For short, he hasn't eaten anything. Still, hunger was not visiting his stomach.

He had no appetite. What can he do?

After all that… how could he force himself to eat? It's true that others let it all out in eating but he wasn't that kind of person. He won't believe that eating your favorite foods will drive the pain away.

He was starting to get bored in his room so he decided to go for a walk. He took a brief shower and changed to his normal clothes. He wore an orange vest with a sleeveless white hoody shirt under it and a pair of loose jeans. After fifteen minutes, he went out of his room. The house—mansion was still ordinary. No changes. Butlers and maids greeted him warmly and offered him lunch, but he refused. Others also informed him that Jiraiya was out for another business trip again. For one week. Good. He was not forced to go with him this time.

Whenever he was having a bad day, he always goes to the convenience store at the city to play with the owner's cute cat. That cat wasn't cute at all, it had fierce eyes, fluffy tails and furry hair. Not the type of cat that a person would have. Once you provoke it, you'll go home bleeding. Well, that goes for all the animals, once you provoke them, they would defend themselves from you. But this one was different. Even if your intentions were good, it would scratch you until you bleed. He wasn't friendly. He's unsocial. But, Naruto managed to tame it, according to the owner, Naruto was the very first customer to get near that devil cat.

It didn't show in his appearance but, he loved animals.

When Naruto had entered the store, which was still signed as _CLOSE_, he didn't even say a word to the watcher. He made his way straight to the cat. He brought out _Kyuubi's _favorite toy and they started playing. The foolish Kyuubi was happy like a normal cat. Well, a cat is still a cat no matter how wild it is.

"Sir, are you just here to play with the cat again? If yes, then get the hell out of here. We're still close." Said by a lazy masculine voice from the counter.

Naruto was surprised that it was not the owner who was in shift today. What bad luck. It was the owner's lazy son who always complains about troublesome things in life. For him, everything was troublesome though.

"Shikamaru." Naruto spoke.

Nara Shikamaru. The son of a very successful entrepreneur named Nara Shikaku, and his classmate since fourth grade.

"Why? I'm a customer here. You should treat me well. I'll report to the owner that you're being rude to a customer like me, and if that happens, you'll lose your job." Naruto replied as he continued playing with the cat.

Shikamaru leaned his back lazily on the chair and placed his feet on top of the counter. "I'd be thankful if that happened." He said. "How troublesome… why do I even have to watch over this store?" he complained. "Anyways, what brings you here? It's been a long time since you paid us a visit. _Ofukuro_ has been looking for you."

"Nothing. I just wanna kill some time. I'm getting bored in that friggin' mansion." Naruto said. Suddenly, Kyuubi began licking his wounded knuckles.

Shikamaru gave him a look. "How did that happen?" he raised a brow.

"Oh, this? Nothing. I just had to let out some anger." Naruto replied. Slowly, he was starting to remember everything that had happened last night. Sakura's confession, Sasuke's look, his tears, and Hinata's warm hug. It's all coming back to him.

Shikamaru straightened himself and leaned closer to the counter. He placed his elbows on top of the counter and settled his chin above his clenched right fist. "Lemme guess, it's about Sakura, no? Man, you acted so lame last night. You were easy to read."

"What are you saying? Does that mean you're paying attention to us last night? Whoa. You're changing." Naruto said, trying to change the topic as much as possible.

Shikamaru shot him a glare. "Don't change the topic, idiot." Naruto was surprised that this guy figured out what he was trying to execute. Bad for him, this one has an IQ of two hundred. "Well, whatever. I don't want to meddle in your problems, especially when it's all about girls. They're just too much to handle. They're so _troublesome_."

Speaking of troublesome ones, a troublesome one came. She was Shikamaru's childhood friend. The noisy girl.

"Shikamaru, you idiot! Where were you last night? Because of you, I had to be alone with Sai-kun the whole time! Shikaku-oji-san told me that you were driving me home, but where were you? You left me all alone, and I had to go with Sai-kun!" The blonde-haired girl slammed her hands on the counter and glared at the lazy bum with fierce light blue eyes.

Shikamaru just frowned in frustration. He never thought his day would turn out so badly. First, he had to watch over the store the whole day, now, he had to deal with this _girl. _For once, can't he get some peace? All his life and childhood life, he had to look after this girl. There's not a day that she was not with him or he was not with her. They were always together. In school, in the store, in special occasions, and even in vacation. He felt that he was becoming more than a friend to her. More of like a… _Father. _How troublesome. And of all the girls he met, this one was the most troublesome ever made.

"Why? That's what you want, right? To be with that idi—Sai." Oops. He nearly slipped there. He can't talk bad about Sai. "Plus, I'm not your father, Ino. I don't have to look after you the whole time, sheesh."

Ino ignored his last statement and crossed her arms over her chest. "Where's Shikaku-oji-san? I'll tell him how irresponsible you are for leaving me alone! Sai-kun and I are not yet even friends. I don't hang out with guys I've just met!" even though she knew Sai since first year, this year was the very first time she had ever talked to him.

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "Unfortunately, _Shikaku-oji-san_(mimicking Ino's tone a bit)is not here. _Oyaji _is probably at the beer house again chatting with your father and Chouji's dad. If you want to see him, just go there."

Before Ino could argue back, she noticed that she and Shikamaru were not alone in the store. She saw Naruto below playing with Kyubi. This made her ignore her childhood friend for a while.

"Naruto… what are you doing here?" Ino asked, a bit surprised.

Naruto stood up and tucked his hands inside his pockets. "Just passing by." Then he was captured by Ino's outfit today. She never gets out of style does she? Her hair was the usual and she wore trendy clothes today. "Your outfit's kinda cute." He complimented.

"Ah, thanks." Ino replied. "Umm, how are you and Sakura? Is everything okay?"

Way to go, Ino. He was here to forget what had happened last night, and she just butts in and ruins it for him.

Putting that aside.

Naruto grinned. "Of course, what was that question? Everything is fine dattebayo!" he exclaimed.

"Are you sure?" she sounded doubtful. "You see… you don't have to try so hard for them. I know, Sakura and Sasuke-kun would understand you. So, try to be honest with your feelings. I know you deeply love Sakura. I can always see how you look at her." She said. "You'll just continue to hurt yourself if you keep staying like that."

"What's with you? I'm perfectly fine. Didn't you hear what I said last night? I like her only as a friend." He cleared, "No more, no less."

"Then why do you keep lying to yourself? Why don't you try being honest with your true feelings?" Ino argued. "You'll just hurt yourself… even Sakura." She paused. "and Sasuke-kun." She added.

"We're just friends, got that?" He slightly raised his voice. "And, who do you think you are to meddle in my business?" he was starting to lose his temper. "You don't have to try so hard on pleasing me. You don't have to show that you're worrying about me 'cause I know that it's fake, okay? The only thing that you care about is your Sasuke, right? Only Sasuke."

Ino furrowed her eyebrows. Unsure what to reply. "W-what?" she stammered.

"You think that I didn't know?" Naruto said, "You liked Sasuke. Last year, you confessed to him without saying a word to Sakura-chan. But you got _DUMPED_. Now, you're trying to be nice to every guy in school to make them like you. After Sasuke, it's Sai. Then who's next? Lee? Neji? Shino? Or even worse, Kakashi-sensei? You're a path—"

A strong impact suddenly interrupted his harsh words.

He flew down the ground and it took a few seconds for him to realize what had happened.

Shikamaru punched him.

"How dare you speak to her that way?" Shikamaru glared at Naruto hardly as if he wanted to kill him.

"Mrrrp!" came from the cat beside Naruto.

"Stay out of this, Kyubi." Shikamaru said.

The poor cat quickly went back to his basket, for the very first time, Shikamaru was able to order it.

"Shikamaru!" Ino was wide-eyed. She stopped him by grabbing his arm.

"You sure have guts to talk to her like that in front of me. You know nothing about her so don't speak as if you know anything." Shikamaru said. "Get the hell out of here. I don't wanna see your face."

Naruto slowly stood up from the floor. He wiped the blood on his lower lip by the back of his hand. "I didn't know that you can be strong. I've always thought that you were a wimp." He chuckled. "Yeah, right. Who am I to judge that girl? Who am I to talk to her that way? I'm just her classmate. I'm not her childhood friend who always looked after her all the time since kindergarten. I know nothing about her." He said. "But… who was she to me again? Who was she to meddle in my business? She barely knew someone like me as I barely knew someone like her." He turned away and walked towards the technical door.

"By the way… good punch. And… I don't want to see your face, too." Naruto added and stepped out of the closed convenience store.

"Damn that guy." Shikamaru murmured under his breath. Then he turned to Ino and asked, "Are you okay?" he sounded gentle.

Ino nodded slightly and gave him a faint smile. "Y-yeah. Sorry about the commotion." She said.

Shikamaru shook his head and patted her head like a puppy. "It's fine." She told her.

For all these years, he had taken care of her. For all these years, he let no one hurt her. He usually said that taking care a girl like her is the most troublesome job in the world. It sure is. But, he hated to admit to himself that he couldn't stand seeing someone hurting her. Physically, emotionally or mentally. If someone dared to make a move on his best friend, no matter who she or he is, he would not let him go easily. No one would hurt her as long as he's beside her.

That's how much Shikamaru cared about his most troublesome best friend.

* * *

><p>Naruto was walking along the streets. This day was one of the worst days of his life. Even the only place where he could relax was also taken away from him. Now, where would he go?<p>

He had nowhere to go. He definitely can't go back to that freaking mansion where he can't even describe the word home in his own words.

He doesn't care what would happen to him now. He was mad. He had to find away to express this negative feeling he was having. And he found one. Kicking the trashcans.

Unfortunately, one trash bin flew towards a guy walking at the side walk.

They were group of students. Delinquent students.

"What the hell? Damn, that hurt." A guy with unknown shades of violet make-up in the face complained and glared at Naruto.

Naruto turned away from the weird looking guy and continued with his rebellion.

"Hey! Come back here." The guy grabbed his left shoulder. "You're rude." He forced Naruto to turn to him. Suddenly, he was shocked to see who it was.

"Uzumaki Naruto…" the guy said.

Naruto glared, "what do you want?"

The guy chuckled. He waved his hand to his group and they had surrounded Naruto. "It's been a year, Uzumaki. You seem to be alone today. Where's the Uchiha?"

Naruto shoved away his shoulder from the ugly guy. "Don't touch me, you clown. Who the heck are you?" he said lazily with his hands in his pockets.

The guy's eyes twitched. He nearly fell down the ground. Nearly. He couldn't believe how dense this Uzumaki was. "I can't believe this. You may have forgotten me, but… there's no fucking way that I'm ever going to forget you." He said, "All what you and Uchiha have done to me is still fresh in my mind. This time… you're going to pay the price."

"Bring it on." Naruto smirked. "I can take you ALL on."

"You never changed, Uzumaki. Now, prepare yourself." The guy said and led him to a dark place, where no one could see them.

* * *

><p>Blood.<p>

He was spitting blood.

His head bleed, his hands were numb and his clothes were covered with filth. He was losing. He was outnumbered.

They were too many for Naruto.

"Heh… now I remember you." Naruto coughed. "You're that Kankuro we beat into a pulp" he slowly lifted his head up and looked at him.

It took quite a while to remember Kankuro's face. The last time they saw each other, the guy didn't have those weird paintings on his face.

Kankuro spun the metal bat around his hand. "Finally. You remembered." He grinned evilly. "Now, I'm going to return the favor to you. I've spent the whole year in the hospital, now that I'm back…" he paused and pointed the bat towards Naruto. "I'll make you suffer even more."

Naruto chuckled. "You deserve that. You know, what Sasuke and I did to you was not yet enough for your punishment."

"Go on. Say your last words. I'll make sure you won't be able to speak in front of me again, you asshole." Kankuro said. He lifted his steel bat up and aimed accurately for Naruto's head.

Smash.

Then more blood came out.

* * *

><p>This afternoon was Hinata's schedule for her weekly check-up. She was excited to go today because she'd be able to see her doctor again. It has been a long time since she last saw him. She presumed that it took five years. She lived with her family in London for all those years, now, she's back for good. Her doctor was also away for a long time, as far as she could remember, he went back to New York to study again. Finally, they're both back.<p>

"_Nee-chan_, you look so different today." Her younger sister, Hanabi, interrupted her thoughts.

Hinata turned to the girl. "Really? Why do you say so?" she asked.

"Well… you look decent today. It's not that you don't look decent everyday, it's just that… you look happier these days. It's been a long time since you put on that face." Hanabi replied.

Hinata stared far out the car's window. "Is that so? Well… a lot of things happened to me lately. Things that I never expected to happen." She said.

Hanabi sighed and shrugged. "You know what they say, _expect the unexpected_."

Hinata giggled softly. "_Sou desu yo ne_?" she agreed. "By the way, thanks for accompanying me."

"No problem sis!" Hanabi gave her a thumbs-up. "I'm missing you already. Plus, I'm excited to see Minato-san again." She grinned.

That's right. Hanabi has a huge crush on Hinata's doctor.

"_Mou_… is that the reason why you were being so persistent on visiting Neji-ni-san and I today? You're mean." Hinata pouted.

Hanabi just stuck her tongue out to her big sister.

Hinata turned away from Hanabi and stared outside. It was a busy street that their car was passing by. Suddenly, she saw an unexpected person in the shadows of a dark place. She knew who that boy was. Blonde spiky hair. No one else owned that style but _him_. Other guys were with him and he looked like he's in deep trouble.

"Ko-san! Stop, please!" Hinata raised her voice in panic.

"Hinata-sama? The hospital is still far—" Ko protested but was cut by Hinata.

"Stop, I say!" she yelled.

By hearing Hinata's loud voice, the loyal body guard quickly hit the break.

In a blink of an eye, Hinata pushed the door and went out of the car.

"_Nee-chan?_ _Doko ni iku no?" _Hanabi yelled. But Hinata was already far from her. She could do nothing but follow her sister running through the crowd.

Hinata was running as fast as she could. She tried her best to find the quickest way to reach him. Her eyes didn't fool her. She was certain that that guy was none other than Naruto.

A group of delinquent guys were beating him.

He needed help.

When she had reached them, she didn't think twice on interrupting the fight. She dashed towards the outnumbered Naruto and covered for his body.

"_Yamete kudasai!"_ she yelled at them. Once again, her clothes were stained by his blood. But, why should she care?

"Whoa? What's this? Your girlfriend?" Kankuro looked somewhat surprised.

"W-why are you here?" Naruto lifted his head up to her.

Hinata felt her heart instantly drop. She saw his face being covered with blood and dirt. He was in extreme pain. She brought out her white handkerchief and wiped some blood flowing down from his forehead. "Why do you have to suffer so much?" she whispered, being crestfallen.

Naruto was wide-eyed. He could really feel that she was worried about him. And… how did she even find them?

Suddenly, a strong hand gripped around Hinata's wrist. It was Kankuro who pulled her away from their prey.

"You're brave to interrupt with our fight. You know, I like brave girls like you." He said and pushed her towards the group of guys. "Don't let her get away. We're not yet done."

The guys cornered the girl.

Hinata fought back by pushing them away. She forced herself to get nearer to Naruto but was pulled harshly by one of the guys.

"Let go of me!" she struggled.

Naruto felt his blood boil of unknown anger. Even if his knees were weak, he mustered all his strength to get Hinata away from them. He punched the guy that was gripping Hinata strongly and placed her behind him.

"Don't you get her involved into this! I'm the one you want, right? Just leave her alone!" Naruto shouted.

"Naruto-kun…" she whispered.

"Well… I want her, too." Kankuro simply said. He inched closer to them and tried to thrust Naruto.

Naruto was quick on his moves. Before Kankuro could do anything to him or Hinata, he already punched the guy hard on the face. Making him fall down and spit blood.

Without having to command the minions, they already charged towards Naruto for the counter. He still continued to fight back as long as Hinata was behind him. They didn't know where he was getting his strength, after all what they did to him, he was still able to fight back. He was still strong.

But… for how long could he take it? He was already losing too much blood.

"Please… stop this already." Hinata begged.

"All right. We'll stop, if you come with us." Kankuro smirked and grabbed her.

"_Yamero!"_ Naruto shouted but was swallowed by the other delinquents.

"You better let her go, kid."

A voice from behind interrupted the moment.

When Hinata saw who it was, she was wide-eyed to see that it was Ko with her sister.

"Get your hands off my sister, ugly!" Hanabi yelled.

In a blink of an eye, Kankuro was thrown away towards the trash bins. The others began to attack Ko, but each of them were knocked down.

Not only was Ko was Hinata's driver, he served the family for many years as a skilled body guard. Plus, he was a karate black belter during his high school and college days.

Hanabi brought out her cell phone. "I'm calling the cops!"

"Damn… let's escape!" Kankuro stood up. "You…" he pointed at Naruto, "I'm not done yet. I'll get you and Sasuke for sure!" then the gang was out of sight.

What a relief. It's over.

Hanabi quickly checked on Hinata. "Nee-chan, are you unhurt?"

Hinata nodded. "Yeah… but Naruto-kun is…"

Hanabi frowned. "You know that guy?"

"Yes. He's my classmate. I'll explain it to you later… but right now, we need to get him to the hospital." Hinata said. "Ko-san… please, help him."

"_Wakarimashita."_ He bent down and lifted the beaten guy in his arms.

"And please… don't mention any of this to Neji-ni-san." Hinata pleaded.

"We'll talk about this later, Hinata-sama." Ko replied.

Then together, they went to the hospital.

* * *

><p>One hour have passed. Naruto's wounds were already treated by the nurses in the hospital well. His head and hands were covered with bandages, his scars were plastered by band aids and his left arm was casted. He completely looked like a guy who got in an accident. But, the reason why he looked like this was really foolish.<p>

He got into a fight. What else? And who saved him?

Hinata.

He was really lame.

He was sitting alone in the waiting area. Later on, he was accompanied by Hinata.

"Are you feeling better now?" She asked as she sat beside him.

Naruto nodded in response.

Hinata gave him a refreshing smile. "That's good to hear."

Naruto turned to look at her. Her clothes captured his vision, and it was all because of the blood.

Guilt shot through his veins, this was not the only first time that he stained her decent dress with his blood. What would happen if her body guard didn't come? What would happen to her? What would happen to them?

"Hey… I'm sorry." Naruto said. "I've put you in danger… and because of me, you're stained with my blood again."

"What are you saying? Why are you sorry?" Hinata asked. "I wanted to help you because you're my friend."

"But what you did was very dangerous! You could get hurt… you already got hurt. Kankuro is a very dangerous guy." Naruto scolded. "You should think before you act."

"You're the one to talk." Hinata replied. "Then, if you thought before acting, you shouldn't have gotten into that situation, am I right?"

Naruto looked away. Yeah. She was correct. He was harsh.

"I guess we're just the same." Hinata commented. "By the way, who was that guy? I heard you call him by Kankuro. Naruto-kun seems to know him for a long time."

"Yeah. That bastard used to study in our school and was also a member of the soccer team. He dropped out last year and he was suspended because of hurting one of our own teammates. Now, his victim can't walk anymore. His dream of becoming a professional soccer player was taken away from him by that bastard." Naruto gritted his teeth. "And I couldn't forgive him. Gaara was a good friend of mine and Kankuro just stole his dreams. That's why Sasuke and I beat him in a pulp."

"I can see that you really care for your friend." Hinata looked down. She somehow understood what this Gaara would be feeling. "But… violence will just result to more violence. It is not the best or the worst solution."

Naruto flinched. "How could you understand? You're from a decent family. You have your father, your idiotic cousin, your sister and your body guard to be always with you. While I only have Sasuke and my gramps. How could you understand someone like me who had no parents? A rebel? It's easy for you to say those words because you're not in my situation."

"I know that…" She said. "I know exactly how you feel. When you feel that no one could understand you anymore… In a snap of a finger, you had no idea how your life would change forever and no one understands it. A change that you don't even want to happen in your life but is still under the God's will. I experienced that."

Naruto gave her a confused look. "What?"

Hinata shook her head, "N-nothing! I-I mean… Not everything is solved by violence. There are more ways to solve your problems."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "What are you? A priest?"

"Why? What I am saying is true. Do you think that if you weren't violent you would be hurt? That you would be covered with bandages like an undead mummy?" She teased.

Naruto chuckled. "All right. All right. You win for now." He said. "But promise me… don't butt in this one. I'll take care of that guy myself so stay away as much as possible."

Hinata hesitated to answer first, but she had no choice. "If that' what you want then…" she said. "But… if you need some help, I'd be here."

Naruto grinned. "I knew you would say that!" he said. "By the way… why are you in this hospital? Are you sick or something?"

"Just common cold. _Otou-sama_ freaks out when he finds out I'm having some allergies." She answered certainly.

"I see. Your father is such a worry-wart isn't he?" Naruto said. "Anyways, I should be going now. If your cousin shows up, he'd probably go insane again when he sees me with his pure cousin." He stood up. "And… thanks for helping me today. If you didn't come, I don't know where the hell I am right now. I owe you a lot so… I'm going to pay you back someday."

Hinata shook her head and smiled. "You don't have to… Hearing your 'thank you' is already enough for me. I don't ask for more."

"You really are an interesting girl, dattebayo!" he placed a hand on top of her head. "_Ja._ See you tomorrow in school." He smirked and turned away from her.

Hinata was left astounded at the bench. She watched Naruto walk away from her, and she felt her heart beat really fast. Her face was heating up, too. Somehow, she felt something very weird about Naruto. Ever since she first met him, which was at the yacht, she always felt like this when he was with her. A feeling that she has never experienced before for someone.

Wait… was she? With him?

No. No. No.

Absolutely not. That couldn't happen. That shall not happen! With her _condition, that_ shouldn't happen.

Soon, she felt a hand on top of her shoulder. "Long time no see, Hinata." Said by a familiar voice.

She knew who owned that voice. She stood up from her seat and turned to the person who called her.

"Minato-sensei!" Hinata exclaimed. "It's great to see you again!"

The doctor smiled back. "It's nice to see you all well, Hinata. You're getting prettier and prettier as you grow up." He complimented.

Hinata blushed and looked down. "Mou, sensei!"

Minato laughed at the girl's cute actions. She never changed. She was still the shy and timid girl he adored. "So… who was that guy you were looking at?" he asked with a sheepish smirk.

"Oh. Umm… him? Well," she gulped hard, unsure what to answer. Well, she has to state the fact her that he is her "Classmate." She said.

"Is he a patient here? He looks in a bad shape." Minato said.

"No. He's not a regular patient. He never booked once in this hospital. He was involved in a fight so…" that alone could explain everything to Minato. He could get the idea why the young lad fell to that situation.

"Then, may I know his name?" he asked.

"Oh. He's Naruto-kun. Uzumaki Naruto-kun." Hinata stated.

When Hinata stated the guy's name, Minato suddenly felt shocked. That name was very special to him. And he only knew that name came from a special person in his life.

He numbly dropped his pen on the floor as he stared at the blonde-haired guy walking across the hallways. He was wide-eyed.

"Uzumaki… Naruto?" Minato whispered under his breath.

TO BE CONTINUED.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **

Yay! done with the chappie! please feel free to review. I love you all! I'll do my best to upload the next chapter as soon as possible! peace!

**VOCABULARY**

**Ofukuro – old lady(as a mother)**

**Oyaji- old man(As a father)**

**Mou- geez**

**Yamete kuda sai- please, stop**

**Yamero- stop it**

**Doko ni iku no- where are you going?**

**Nee-chan- elder sister**

**Dattebayo- ^_^**

**Sou desu yo ne- you're right**

**Wakarimashita- I understand; understood**

**Otou-sama- honorable father**

**Ja- later**


	6. Chapter 6: The blondehaired doctor

**A/N:**

****Here comes the next chapter! Sorry to keep you guys waiting! Thank you for the reviews! please continue reviewing. :) I really appreciate it. Enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 6: The Blonde-haired doctor<strong>

It's been three days. Naruto missed school for three straight days. A lot were sending him e-mails to know the reason of his sudden disappearance but he didn't even try to reply once. Even to Sasuke and… Sakura. It's not that he doesn't want anyone to see him in his mummy-like appearance; it's just that his maids and butlers won't let him out the mansion. There were still bandages around his head and the cast on his right arm was not yet removed. Plus, maids have informed his gramps about what had happened to him three days ago. That's the reason why he can't even step out his room.

All because of his grandfather. He was not allowed to go anywhere.

For _one week_.

But, Naruto was not an obedient child at all. He may be obeying the orders for a while, but not for a long time. There's no way in hell that he would lay down his bed the whole day doing nothing and wasting precious time. He has to go to school. He has to warn Sasuke about Kankuro's moves.

It was 7am, the usual time he goes to school when he misses soccer practice. He was done preparing himself so he decided to set off.

When he was stepping down the staircase, he saw his grandfather reading a news paper at the living room. "You're back already?" he asked.

Jiraiya got distracted by his idiotic grandson's voice. He placed down the news paper for a while and looked up to Naruto. "_Omae_. I told you not to go out of your room."

Naruto continued going down the stairs. "I did what you wanted me to do, right? I stayed in my room for three days doing nothing but get insulted by the flying birds nearby the veranda. They were flying around and around with strong and unbroken wings that didn't annoy me too much." He sounded sarcastic.

Jiraiya stood up from the couch and placed his hands on his hips. "Three days is so far from being one week. I know you heard me right. I screamed _ONE WEEK _clearly over the phone." He defended. "Well, you deserve to be teased by innocent birds since your actions were very childish and idiotic the other day. It's a lesson learned, is it not?" he sighed. "Now get back to your room."

"Yeah, right. Whatever. I'm still leaving," Naruto replied lazily.

"Just a minute, young man!" Jiraiya was supposed to follow him, but Naruto looked back.

"Is that a kiss mark on your shirt?" Naruto frowned. "Geez. You were out in a hostess club again, weren't you? You'd be in deep trouble when Tsunade-no-bacha—I mean, Principal Tsunade finds out about this."

Jiraiya was alarmed. He quickly commanded a maid to get rid of the lip stick stain on his clothes. He can't hide the truth from his grandson that he really was in a hostess club last night. How shameful. And the young guy planned telling it to Tsunade? No—no. That can never happen. He won't let that happen again!

While his perverted grandfather was busy changing his shirt, he took the chance to execute his big escape. He opened the front door widely and stepped out the house. He was busy looking for his IPod in his bag that he wasn't paying attention on his path.

This resulted him to bump into someone.

"_Itte_." Naruto nearly lost his balance but was able to regain it. He pulled out his earphones and tucked it in his ears as he found his IPod. He maximized the volume of the music and at the same time, he said "Sorry." to the guy he bumped. He didn't even look at the stranger he collided to because he had an idea that this one was probably his grandfather's business partner or something. And he doesn't care about them.

He continued moving straightly and left the stranger.

"Naruto…" The man whispered to himself as he watched the lad enter the car.

Finally, he was able to see him again after all these years…

Heavy footsteps occurred on the pavement. "Oi! Idiotic grandson!" Jiraiya shouted but he was too late to stop Naruto. The car already left. "Damn that brat…" He cursed under his breath, and then he saw a guy standing a few paces away from him.

The guy had spiky blond hair and sky blue eyes. He was tall and was wearing a black coat and tie along with leather shoes. A briefcase settled on his right hand.

The man gave Jiraiya a respectful bow. "_Hisashiburi desu_, Jiraiya-sensei."

His tone of voice never changed. Still calm and deep.

Jiraiya doesn't have a doubt. It was _him_. It felt like his heart stopped beating for a while as he saw the man's face. He was unsure how to react. This was not like him at all. He was always sure of what he was doing. Business trips, meetings, dealing, offering—all of them were just a piece of cake. But now, he didn't know how to react, what to do or what to say. He was out of words. For all these years, he practiced his speech when the time has come for this _guy _to return. But seventeen years of practice was not enough. It all disappeared at the moment Jiraiya saw him. He didn't expect everything to happen so soon.

"Minato." Is the only word that came across his lips.

* * *

><p>7:50 am.<p>

The time that Naruto arrived in the classroom. It's a good thing that he made it before the school bell rang. When he entered the room, the whole class was attracted to him because of his sudden appearance. Who would not be? He was gone for three days without even informing the class nor the homeroom teacher on what had happened to him. Now, he would show himself looking like this?

Oh, for Pete's sake!

He had to prepare a good explanation.

"What's with the faces? It's like you all saw a mummy." Naruto said. "Well, I look like one but I'm not a mummy." He then normally made his way to his seat and sat down.

"Naruto-kun! Why? What? Where did you get those injuries?" Lee went to him immediately.

Lee's voice was extremely loud. Even if he wore his earphones, he could still clearly hear the annoying tone of voice. "I just fell down the stairs at home, that's all." He answered.

"Eh? Is it all right for you to move now?" Lee asked.

"If I'm not yet fine, I wouldn't be here right now. Stop being so worried." Naruto said.

Everyone in the room seemed pretty convinced with his intelligent reason. But not everyone agreed to it. He could feel suspicious stares from Sasuke, Sakura, Neji, Sai and Shikamaru. Well, he doesn't expect everyone to believe him… after all, it was only Hinata who knew how he fell into this state.

She was already sitting in front, and she turned to look at him. When their gazes met, she quickly shifted away and blushed.

"Weird girl…"

* * *

><p>Minato was welcomed to enter Jiraiya's mansion. He was now sitting on the couch, eyeing the living room quietly.<p>

It's been seventeen years… he was gone for seventeen years and now, he was back for good.

"When did you return?" Jiraiya asked.

Minato turned to him. "Just last week." He answered.

"I see." Jiraiya cleared his throat. He tried his best to stay calm as much as possible. "So, where are you staying?" a follow-up question.

"In a three-star hotel at the city. I'm moving out soon." Minato answered.

"Where are you working?"

"At the Konoha General Hospital. I'm a Cardiologist."

Then, there was silence. Neither of them spoke, Jiraiya was out of questions. Those were the only things he remembered in his practice speech, nothing else occurred in his mind but confusion. Normally, if you haven't seen a person for a long time, you bunch of questions to throw him to be updated with his daily life. But, it didn't work for him. He spent half of his life meeting a lot of different people around the world because of the Jewelry Company, and he was never out of conversations and topics. He was used to dealing with people he just met. But, all of his experience was rubbish in this case.

Minato was not a new person. He was an old friend.

Why can't Jiraiya say something?

"Excuse me for my manners Jiraiya-sensei." Minato finally broke the silence. "I entered your mansion without even congratulating you for your company's great discovery. Congratulations, sir." He praised.

This interrupted Jiraiya's thoughts for a while. "Thank you." He replied.

'_Come on, say something!' _Jiraiya mentally scolded himself. '_Minato is back. He didn't come here for lame greetings. He didn't come here for idiotic reasons! He came here to discuss something very important. He came here to get an important person back…'_

Jiraiya looked directly into Minato's calm blue eyes. He gathered up all the courage left in his chest to get down to business. He had to be serious.

"He doesn't know who you are, Minato." Jiraiya was back. "I did everything you told me. I didn't miss any single detail."

"I can… see that." Minato replied.

"I waited for you. He and I waited for your return. I never told the truth to him ever since you left him in my hands." Jiraiya paused. "All that he knew was… his parents are dead."

Minato felt a pain throbbing in his chest. But, he hid it perfectly. He continued listening to Jiraiya.

"He was seven years old back then when he asked where his parents were. At first, I didn't know what to tell him, but… I followed what you instructed me to do. If you don't return in five years and he began looking for you, I shall tell him that you're dead." He paused and clenched his fists. "I didn't want to lie to him… and I never believed that you were dead. Years have passed by; there was still no information about you. Then that was the time I gave up. Even if it hurts, I accepted that you were gone and you will never return. But now… you came back and showed yourself to us." He glared. The old Jiraiya gritted his teeth. "He knew that you were gone… how can you expect Naruto to understand all this?"

Minato took a deep breath before anything. He prepared himself for a long time for this.

"_Sensei… _you know the reason why I was away, right?" Minato began. "Since Naruto was born, Kushina and I thought of nothing but to keep him safe. Our families were declaring war against each other and we can't let Naruto get involved into our problem. Kushina's family and my family were firmly against our wedding, but we still got married. Then we had Naruto. We were told that when Kushina gets pregnant, they would kill our child. So, we acted first. We asked for your help and we lived in Brooklyn peacefully for a while. There, under your guidance, she gave birth to our first child. That was the very first and last time I saw his face until now. We never told anyone about our first born so we entrusted Naruto to you. We left and returned to finish some business with our family." He explained.

"I know that." Jiraiya said.

"And at long last… everything is fine between Kushina's clan and my clan." Minato said.

"Is that true?" Jiraiya asked, he was wide-eyed.

Minato nodded in response.

"Then, you and Kushina can get Naruto back!" Jiraiya exclaimed. "Where is she by the way?"

Suddenly, the atmosphere got gloomy. Jiraiya could see the sadness in Minato's eyes. It's like the world ended up for the guy. In the look of Minato's face, something painful happened.

"Kushina… is gone." Minato finally said.

The whole place suddenly went quiet.

Jiraiya's throat went dry. He opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out. It felt like his voice disappeared in the instant when he heard Minato's words. It was seventeen years after all.

A lot happened.

A lot of changes occurred.

A lot of unwanted events took place.

"She died in a car accident five years ago in London. She was on her way home from her obstetrician. She was happy to be pregnant with our second child, and that was the same day that we would return to Japan for Naruto." Minato said with a melancholic voice. "I was not able to do anything to save her… and Naruto's brother. Her body was sent back here in Japan and she was buried in the memorial cemetery. I… I decided not to return yet. I've decided to leave London and continue my studies in New York. Five years added more experience to me as a doctor… but that was still not enough. It's true that I've saved a lot of lives back then, but I was not able to save my family." His voice shook.

Minato suddenly stood up from the couch and knelt down on the floor. "That's why I've returned here, Sensei. Please, I beg of you. Let me stay here for a while. I want Naruto to know that I'm his father. That I'm still alive and I'll be here whenever he needs me. I want to fulfill my duties as his father. I will fill up those empty spaces I left for seventeen years… so please. Give me a chance to be with him again. I promise that I'll make him understand everything."

"Minato…" Jiraiya was wide-eyed by the doctor's actions. "Stand up… you don't have to beg for me." He went to Minato and lifted him up. "Of course… everybody deserves a second chance. Naruto is a nice guy despite of his appearance. I'm sure… he'll understand. It might take time for him to get through all this but I know he can make it through. He is your son… and he is my grandson after all. You two will be fine." He placed supportive hand on top of Minato's shoulder. "And… Kushina will be watching you from above."

Minato closed his eyes and accepted the warmth of Jiraiya's words.

"_Arigato_… Jiraiya-sensei. I'll take care of things between my son and me from now on." Minato said.

* * *

><p>Lunch time.<p>

Naruto decided to apologize to Shikamaru and Ino. He told them that he was just having a bad day that's why he was able to say those cruel words to Ino. Fortunately, they forgave him. They were able to understand why he lost his temper at the convenience store. So, everything's back to normal between the three of them.

If it weren't for Hinata… He wouldn't apologize. Thanks to her, he was able to realize his own mistake.

Speaking of Hinata… where was she?

He wanted to see her badly.

Wait… Badly?

Luckily, she was just in the classroom. When he was about to approach her, Ten-ten was already talking to her.

Slowpoke.

"Hinata, do you want to have lunch with me?" Ten-ten asked.

Hinata gave her a refreshing smile. "I'm sorry… I can't today." She stood up from her seat and carried her lunch box with her. "Maybe next time. Sorry…" she bowed apologetically and walked out of the room.

Ten-ten pouted as she watched the timid girl go away. "Well… I guess I'll have lunch alone today." She sighed.

Suddenly, Lee came out of nowhere. "I can join you! I'll share my special bentou that Gai-sensei made with sweat and hard work! You'll love it, Ten-ten!" He exclaimed.

Ten-ten rolled her eyes. "Gai-sensei made that? I'd rather eat alone." She walked pass Lee. "Oh! I'll just ask Neji instead. Neji!" she called.

Lee was rejected. Poor him.

Hinata was eating all alone at the roof top. Even if she hated to turn Ten-ten down, she had to. She has her own reasons why she can't have lunch with her.

Her food for today is… Vegetable. Always vegetable. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner, same old light healthy foods.

"Hey." Naruto said from behind her.

For the third time, Hinata got surprised. Whenever he approaches her, she always gets surprised. Why is that?

"Ah, Naruto-kun… How did you know I was here?" She asked.

Naruto sat beside her and leaned his back comfortably on the bench. "I'm not always looking for you. It's coincidence. CO-IN-CI-DENCE, got it? I just wanted to go here, and then I saw you having your lunch." He said.

Pssh. What a liar. He followed her all along.

"I see." Hinata said. "Coincidence, you say? It may be coincidence for you but… I don't believe it. Everything happens for a reason."

Naruto gave her a blank look. "That again… seriously, are you planning to be a nun or something?"

"Well… I'm just stating what's on my mind." She slightly blushed. "Umm… would you like to have some?" she offered politely.

"Sure." Naruto smirked. "But… You have to feed me."

Hinata blinked cutely. "W-what?"

Naruto lifted his right arm and showed it to her. "See? I can't eat with a cast on." He said. "Come on. Feed me. I'm starving, dattebayo."

Hinata sighed in defeat. She used her chopsticks to pick up some vegetable and rice and offered it to Naruto. Before feeding his wide open mouth, she halted. "_Ch-chotto matte kuda sai_… We're sharing the same chopsticks?" she complained.

"So what?" Naruto frowned. Then in a blink of an eye, he ate the portion of food between her chopsticks. He munched the food tenderly. "Hmm… this is delicious." He said between his bites.

Hinata was frozen on her spot. She couldn't believe it… they shared the same chopsticks.

"Mou! Naruto-kun!" She raised her voice in embarrassment.

Naruto just laughed at her actions. Her cute actions.

"Naruto."

That voice kind of killed the moment. Naruto turned his gaze to the familiar voice and he saw his best friend.

"Sasuke." He said.

"We need to talk." Sasuke told Naruto, then he glared hardly at Hinata.

Hinata knew what Sasuke meant by the glare. It means… _leave. _So, she packed her lunch and excused herself from the guys and left them to let them have their conversation privately.

When she was out of sight, Sasuke began to speak.

"Tell me what the hell happened." He said.

Naruto gave him a look. "You don't believe my story?"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Only an idiot would believe an idiot." He stated, "Now, answer me."

Naruto sighed in defeat. He was forced to tell the truth to Sasuke, he was going to tell the truth to him anyways so there won't be a problem. "It was Kankuro. He came back."

"Kankuro? The former member of the team?" Sasuke asked.

Naruto nodded. "I crossed paths with him at the city three days ago. He looked ugly as ever… or should I say, he looked uglier than the usual."

"He was the one who did this to you?" Sasuke's tone didn't sound like he was asking a question at all. It sounded more like a sure statement.

"Yeah… you're right." Naruto answered without hesitations.

"Why didn't you call me? Why didn't you tell me sooner that he beat you up?" Sasuke sounded quite angry.

"Things happen… unexpectedly." Naruto answered unsurely. "_Na_, Sasuke. Promise me that you won't go after Kankuro. He's back… and his main targets are the both of us. He'd hunt us down. He'll do things worse than he did to me when we encounter him again. I want you to be careful, understand?" He warned.

"You don't have to worry about me. I'm more worried about you. You look like a weakling." Sasuke said.

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

Then, there was silence. Naruto never felt so awkward before with Sasuke. It's like they haven't known each other for so long. He didn't want this silence to take long. They were best friends… brothers.

"So, how's it going with Sakura-chan?" He asked.

"Normal." Sasuke replied.

"I see…"

Then there was another silence. It's only this time that Naruto realized that he was not good in starting conversations at all.

He decided to leave. He wanted to follow Hinata, too.

But, when he was on his way to the exit, he saw Sakura blocking his path. His body suddenly froze, and even if he wanted to run away; he couldn't. His body won't follow him.

Sakura began walking towards him. "Naruto…" She began. "Are you… fine now?"

Naruto could see the concern in her eyes. The pink-haired _kunoichi_ was really worried about him.

"Y-yeah! I'm completely fine! Nothing to worry about, Sakura-chan." He gave her one of his fake grins again. He was getting used to this. Smiling and acting as if everything is okay but it's not. "Um… I'll leave you love birds for a while. Need to catch up with my feeding nurse." He then gave Sasuke a thumbs-up, then he left. Somehow, he managed to walk away.

(The feeding nurse was Hinata by the way.)

Why were things like this? Why did he have to leave her again? Why was he avoiding her?

Sakura's relationship with Sasuke was already complicated. She didn't want to ruin her friendship with Naruto also just because of her foolish actions. She has to make things right. She needs to settle things with him to make him understand everything. But… he understood everything. That's why that night, he lied to her. He said that he didn't like her more as a friend. But, she knew that he was hiding his real emotions. In every smile he made, there was a deeper meaning behind it. All this time, he was doing what was best for her. He was making it easier for her to be honest with her feelings.

"Sasuke-kun… have you told Naruto?" she sat beside him.

Sasuke shut his eyes and shook his head.

"I see… should I help you?"

"No. I can do this myself." Sasuke answered. "We still have time to tell him."

"I know that." Sakura said. Suddenly, she wrapped her arms around him. "I'm just here whenever you need me. I will be always waiting for you so… come back soon, okay?" she whispered to his ear.

"I will. I'll definitely be back for you." Sasuke hugged back.

* * *

><p><em>DING DONG DING DONG<em>

It was 4pm, and classes were dismissed.

Naruto decided to go home early. He didn't know why but he didn't feel like attending the soccer practice for today. He was not in the mood. Even if he was in the mood, he still can't practice because of his injuries.

What a loser.

He was on his way out when he saw Hinata at the shoe lockers. He didn't hesitate approaching her. This time, he'll do it gently to not surprise her. Whenever she sees him, she always gets shocked. So this time, he'll do it gently. Gently… Gently.

"Yo, Hinata." Naruto said from behind.

"E-eh?" this made Hinata move away.

_HE FAILED._

"_Ara…_ it's just Naruto-kun." She sighed in relief once she saw the guy.

"What's with you, dattebayo? Why do you always do that?" Naruto asked.

Hinata blinked her eyes in confusion. "What do you mean?" She asked innocently.

"You know… what you did earlier." Naruto scratched the back of his head with his uncasted arm.

It took a while before Hinata understood what he was talking about. When she finally did, she gave him a very big bow that she nearly hit her head on the floor. "_Gomenasai!"_ she said loudly. "I-I don't always do that. A-actually, you were the only one… I'm sorry that I didn't have spare chopsticks!"

She thought that it was about the chopsticks when they were eating at the rooftop.

Naruto was dumbfounded. "Why are you suddenly apologizing?" He asked. He groaned. "Stop that. Stop that. Lift your head up."

"E-eh?" Hinata slowly raised her head.

"You know… you're really weird. I haven't seen someone as weird as you in my life." He said.

Hinata didn't know how to respond. Was that an insult?

Naruto sighed. "Come on. You're going home, right?"

"Ah, _hai_!" Hinata replied.

Together, they went out of the school building. They were only greeted by her ever strict cousin with long hair waiting outside along with the bodyguard, Ko. Naruto couldn't help wondering why Neji had to have that long hair sometimes. Well, if Hinata was weird, maybe Neji is weirder.

He could feel that the guy was glaring eye-daggers at him. As usual, the freak always goes in that guard dog mode whenever some guy is near his precious cousin.

"I'll just watch you go from here." Naruto suggested.

"What?" Hinata asked.

"Your cousin might seriously kill me this time. I've got no defense for now." Naruto said. Yeah. That made sense. He's useless when he can't use his right arm.

"You're scared of him now?" Hinata asked.

Naruto frowned. "Hey, I am not scared. I won't be. Especially when it comes to that jerk… I mean, your cousin."

Hinata giggled softly. "Don't worry… he won't be too impolite with you from now on."

"Whatever. Just go. His glares are killing me. It's like I'm the bad person here. I'll settle things with him when I'm all better." Naruto said.

"All right. See you tomorrow. _Okiotsukete kuda sai_." Hinata said and made her way towards her cousin and Ko.

Naruto watched Hinata as she got inside the car with Neji. Hmmm… It was kinda unusual for Neji. He didn't even scold Hinata for being with his ultimate rival today. Wait… did Neji know anything about what happened to the both of them when they encountered Kankuro?

Probably not. If he did, he might have killed him already this morning.

But… Neji didn't do anything. Instead, he only stared from afar.

* * *

><p>Naruto finally made it back home. It was 5pm and it was unusual for his grandfather to be home at a time like this. When he was on his way up the stairs, the perverted old man called him down to introduce him to someone new.<p>

"_Nani_?"

"You're too rude! Show some respect to our visitor." Jiraiya scolded.

"Yeah. Right." Naruto replied. "Uzumaki Naruto. _Yoroshiku." _He introduced and offered a hand to the "visitor" of the mansion, which was Minato. Offering a hand might be the nicest thing he did to his grandfather's co-workers.

Minato stared at him delightfully.

Which gave creeps to Naruto. This also made him return his hand.

Minato woke himself up. "I'm Minato Namikaze. I'm your…"he suddenly choked with his words. "I-I'm your…"

Naruto narrowed his eyes. "You're my what?"

For seventeen years… Minato wanted to let his son know that he's still alive. He wanted to let Naruto know that he still has a father. He waited for this for seventeen years. And now, that moment finally came. The moment when he had a chance to tell everything to him. But… why can't he tell Naruto? Why can't he tell his son that his father has returned?

Why?

"I'm your…" Minato paused. "New housemate. Starting today, I'll be living with you and Jiraiya-sensei. I'm a cardiologist in the Konoha General Hospital." He said.

"Minato…" Jiraiya said under his breath.

"Housemate? _Yoroshiku!_" Naruto grinned. "I'd like to chat with you longer but… I'm kinda busy. Talk with you later, dattebayo!" He exclaimed and climbed up the stairs.

Minato couldn't believe it. For all these years, he always wished to see his son's grinning face. He never expected for it to come true.

Everything was happening.

This is reality.

Not a dream, not an illusion, not a fantasy.

This is one and only reality.

At long last, he's with his son.

TO BE CONTINUED.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

Took so long typing this! whoo... longest chapter so far. Expect for more. :) Please tell me what you think about it. And if you wanna know where I got the title of this story, kindly listen to this.

.com/watch?v=axQ1Jsizo7Q

It's actually a title of a song. :) A song that meant a lot to me.

Please feel free to review!

**VOCABULARY**

**Omae- you**

**Itte- ouch; that hurts**

**Hisashiburi desu- it's been a long time**

**Yoroshiku- nice to meet you**

**Dattebayo-:)**

**Nani- what**

**Gomenasai- I'm sorry; I apologize**

**Hai- yes**

**Okiotsukete kudasai- please be careful**

**Na- hey**

**Ara- oh**


	7. Chapter 7: Kiba has returned

**A/N:**

I am such a bad person. Sorry for not updating for 3 weeks! TT_TT I was so busy in school and... I even got sick these past few days. That was the worst fever I've ever had. Thank you for all the reviews! Here comes the next chapter. ENJOY.

**DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOT NARUTO.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 7: Kiba has returned<strong>

Two weeks have passed for Naruto. Everything seemed going smoothly between him and the new housemate, Minato Namikaze. Naruto didn't know why but, every morning, he wanted to stay for breakfast whenever Minato was there. Sometimes, the doctor cooks the meal for them, which Naruto found very delightful. Also, all thanks to the doctor, the bandages around his body were now gone. He can play soccer again.

Naruto was early today for the morning practice. He has to catch up with the others since he missed the practice for two weeks because of his injuries.

As usual, when he got back, a lot of screaming fan girls were watching him play again. He was still good. His injuries didn't stand on his way to lower his skills.

After an hour, he decided to go back to the locker room to refresh himself. Come to think of it, Sasuke didn't come for this morning's practice. '_What's that guy doing?_' he thought. When he was changing back to his school uniform, a guy suddenly tackled him from behind that made him hit his face towards his locker's door.

"_Itte!"_ Naruto shouted in agony as he covered his aching nose. "Hey! What the hell are you doing?"

When he turned, he was surprised to see the guy who pushed him. He blinked his eyes several times to clear his vision, and at last, he was able to state the devil's name.

"Kiba?"

"Yo. _Hisashiburi_." Kiba gave him a toothly grin. He had messy brown hair, sharp black eyes with vertical slit-like pupil, and pronounced canine-like teeth.

"Whoa! You're back!" He suddenly forgot all the pain running in his nose when he reunited with the familiar friend. He gently knocked knuckles with Kiba as he welcomed him back.

"You still haven't changed." Kiba said. "You're still ugly."

"Heh! You're the one to talk! I see no changes for you also." Naruto defended. "Anyways, when did you return? You're so unfair to miss school for three weeks."

"I just came back yesterday." Kiba replied. "Well, Canada is not that bad. I just can't stand the coldness."

Naruto shot him a blank look. "I only asked when you returned. I didn't ask for your opinion."

"Hey. Hey. Wanna go at it again? My fists are craving for some opponent." Kiba punched the wall.

"Nope. Don't wanna waste my punches on someone as weak as you. Let's settle this later on the field. You have LOTS of catching up to do." Naruto cleared.

"All right. Then teach me well, _ace player_." Kiba agreed. Then they both decided to go to class.

* * *

><p>When they were on their way to their classroom, Naruto saw the girl he wanted to see most for the day. Wait. He wanted to see most? A girl whom he wanted to see most? Hinata? Why was he thinking that?<p>

The devil. Everything would have gone smoothly for him. He would approach Hinata, say hi to her, introduce her to Kiba… but all of his plans were ruined just because of one guy accompanying her.

Who else? Hyuga Neji, of course.

"Ah! Naruto-kun!" Hinata saw him. Without thinking, she dashed towards him, forgetting the presence of her cousin. "Your arm… it's all better. _Yokatta_." She smiled.

"Yeah. Thanks." Naruto said.

Before they could go further with their conversation, Neji the Great ordered his cousin to leave Naruto alone.

Of course, Hinata had no choice but to follow him. She said good bye to Naruto and entered the classroom with her honorable relative.

Patience. Patience. Naruto has to be patient. He would definitely get that jerk one day.

Now, Kiba, who wasn't paying much attention to the happenings suddenly elbowed Naruto. By the meaning of 'wasn't paying much attention to the happenings' is he saw a couple of cute girls passing by and talking about cute puppies so his dog radar turned on and he flirted with the girls. When he turned back to Naruto, he just saw the guy eyeing on a girl entering their classroom with Hyuga Neji. He wasn't able to take a good look on the female but he was sure of one thing.

By the look of Naruto's eyes, he adored that girl. Kiba could sense it.

Going back to Kiba elbowing Naruto's ribs, "Whoa… who was that?" he asked. "Don't tell me… she's your…" he raised a pinky finger and twitched an eyebrow.

"Girlfriend?"

"What are you saying?" The guy defended.

"You know, I've always thought you only liked Sakura. But, I was wrong. I never imagined that you're going with the innocent ones." He was just guessing some facts about the girl. After all, he only saw the hair. "I feel sorry for her to be only owned by the likes of you."

"I-DI-OT." He syllabicated. "Talk about jumping to conclusions." A sigh went break free of his lips. "Listen, she is a transferred student. It's been only a month since we knew each other, understand? We're just classmates. No more, no less. So, stop imagining things on your own."

Kiba laughed. "And I never thought that you would be very defensive when it comes to girls!" he wrapped an arm around Naruto's shoulders. "You know… if you're not going after her, then that means I still have my chance. She's kinda my type. I want to get her." He whispered.

Naruto intensely glared at Kiba. "Try and you'll get some of this stuff." He raised his closed fist and made his way to the room. He slammed open the sliding door and entered the classroom looking quite pissed.

Everyone was shocked by his violent actions. The loud booming sound from the door completely interrupted what they were all doing. Even Sasuke's attention was caught, but he was used with Naruto's mood sways. He never felt exasperate about it.

"Oi. Naruto! Don't get so mad. I was just joking." Kiba followed inside. "I was just messing with you."

Naruto ignored the guy and went straightly at his desk. Sasuke didn't find this new, but Sakura was kind of moved by the scene. She was always concerned of Naruto.

The others were surprised by Kiba's sudden return. First day of a new school year for him, he has trouble with Naruto.

"Why are you so mad?" Kiba said.

"I am not mad, okay?" Stating the fact that he nearly broke the handle of his school bag.

Kiba laughed. "You're upset. You're upset because you like her!" he teased.

"Why don't you just go back to your seat? I am not liking anyone, got that? Even if I did, I don't have plans telling you. So, shoo! Go to your best friend over there. What's his name again? Oh, I don't care!" Naruto yelled. "I'm sure your freaky bug lover who keeps his insects inside the lab friend dearly missed you!"

Somewhere in the room, dark auras drifted through the wind. Actually, it's from Hinata's seatmate, Aburame Shino.

"Come on, don't change the topic!" Kiba smirked. He ran swiftly to the front and prepared for an important announcement. "Everyone, hear me out! I have something to tell you all. I just found out that the _ace player_ of our respected soccer team, named Uzumaki Naruto likes someone in this room. Wanna know who? Of course, none other than the trans-"

Before he could continue his so-called important announcement, a soccer ball coming from Naruto emerged towards him. Luckily, he was able to dodge it.

"YOU DOG BOY! WHY DON'T WE SETTLE THIS ON THE FIELD?" Naruto shouted.

He definitely lost it. The result of this argument would be chaos.

But, fortunately, a hero comes to the rescue. The easy-going teacher entered the room without reading the intense atmosphere. "_Ara, _You're back, Inuzuka. Go to your seat and class will start." Hatake Kakashi said.

DING DONG DING DONG

Saved by the bell. The fight is re-scheduled.

* * *

><p>It was lunch time. Each and everyone brought out their packed lunch, others went out to buy, and others went out to eat at the cafeteria.<p>

Finally, Kiba could continue the fight. But when he turned to the seat of his opponent, he wasn't there anymore.

"Shino, where did Naruto go?" Kiba asked his… friend.

The mysterious boy was still emitting those dark auras he had when Naruto forgot his name. Maybe the idiot didn't know at all. "Why should I know? He doesn't know who I am. I shall not care for his whereabouts." Shino said.

Kiba chuckled weakly. _'He's still sulking…_' he thought to himself. He decided to leave the poor guy for a while. He then realized that the new student was not in the room also. Naruto was nowhere to be seen, so as the transferred student. That means one thing.

'_They're together_.' He concluded.

He quickly went out of the room to find it out. When he thought about it, he hasn't met the new student. He never paid attention to her in class since he was busy catching up with the lessons. He doesn't even know her name! Oh, who was he to tease the guy if he doesn't even know the girl's name? Now that it came in his mind, what he was doing was rather pointless.

While he was lost in his thoughts, he felt a soft bump on his well-toned body. It took a couple of seconds when he realized that the one he bumped was the new girl in class. She was carrying some papers and it was all scattered on the floor, thanks to him.

"I'm sorry… I-I wasn't looking." Hinata bowed first then she bent down to pick up the sheets.

Kiba stared at her longly. She looked familiar. Really familiar. Wait. She apologized, and it was his fault. That was kind of wrong. "No… Umm… sorry, too." He didn't know why he suddenly couldn't find words to say. He helped the girl gather the papers altogether and he had a chance to look closely at her face.

Hinata backed away nervously. Her face turned red as the guy got closer to her.

"Hinata?" Kiba asked with a frown.

"Y-yes?" She stammered.

Forthwith, his face was full of unknown joy. "I can't believe it's you!" he exclaimed as he helped her go back to her feet.

Innocently, she blinked her eyes. "_H-hai_?"

"I didn't know you were studying here! In what class are you?" He completely forgot the fact that she was the new student in their class.

"I'm in the same class as you?" She replied unsurely.

"Whoa! This is huge! I thought I'd never see you again." He was about to welcome her in his arms when he abruptly recognized that the girl was pretty confused. He dropped his arms on his side and confronted her. "Don't you… recognize me?" he asked with a hint painful expression in his sharp black eyes.

"Umm… you are Kiba-kun, right?" Hinata said softly. "H-here… Kakashi-sensei asked me to give you some notes from the past lessons." She shyly handed the papers to him.

Kiba didn't know how to react. She doesn't remember him. But he could tell that she was still the same. She was still the kind, shy, timid and soft-spoken Hinata he knew since first grade.

"Uhh… yeah. Thanks." He smirked and took the notes from her grasp.

Hinata looked down. "I'm sorry but, why do you know me?" she asked.

IDIOT. He was such an idiot.

How could she possibly know him if he never talked to her for all these years? It was so long when he had watched her from the back of the class… so long when he observed her every move… and when he found out that she was leaving for another country.

"I guess three years was not enough." Kiba said.

"Excuse me?" Hinata asked.

"Oh, nothing!" He quickly took back his words. He was thinking loudly, how foolish of him. "Well… thanks for this. It'll help me a lot!" He grinned.

The atmosphere was a little uncomfortable for Hinata. This guy knew her, but she didn't know him. Somewhere deep inside, she felt that she met Kiba before. She just couldn't remember when or where. Was he a friend? No, that's not possible. She never made any friends before. It was until Naruto.

"I have to go now. Please, excuse me." Hinata politely excused herself from the boy. She timidly walked away from him.

In an unknown reason, Kiba felt like he just lost his knowledge. His mind went blank. He felt that he was the only person in the corridor despite the situation was lunch time, students walked back and forth at the hallways but Kiba didn't notice any of them. His gaze was only focused on the girl that was walking away from him. Slowly, he watched her walk away. Slowly… she disappeared.

No. He doesn't want for her to disappear in his life. No… someone might steal her away from him. He couldn't stand that. Because for all these years, he only wished to see her face. She was the only girl that he cared about. She was the one whom he loved with his whole heart, and until now, it was still her.

No one else.

"Hey." That monosyllabic word was the only one that could distract his dramatic thoughts.

Kiba turned to see who it was, he was a little surprised to see that it was Naruto.

"You're like a dork. You're standing in the middle of the path like you owned it. I just want to remind you that this isn't your territory. You dogs just like to claim properties without others' permission." Naruto said. "In other words, get out of the way." He cleared.

"How long have you been watching?" Kiba shot him a shocked glare.

Naruto scowled. "Me? Watching you? Not even the last thing I'd do, dattebayo." He walked pass Kiba.

"Naruto… I'm serious about what I told you earlier. Those were not jokes anymore." Kiba said.

Naruto turned to him with a confused look. "What?"

"I said… I'm serious." Kiba repeated.

Naruto couldn't understand what Kiba was trying to prove at all. So, he just went on with the flow. "Yeah. Sure. But, I'm also serious on what I told you. You're really gonna get some of this stuff later on the field." He raised his clenched fist. He left.

Kiba nearly laughed at Naruto's denseness. Well, it was fine to leave it like that. Naruto was the one who told him that he had no interest in Hinata… So, it's fine right?

But… what if Hinata liked Naruto? Based from her actions, he could see that she really cared about the ace player.

If Hinata only knew how much Kiba loves her.

If she only knew how much he knew about her.

He always watched her from afar. But, he won't let it be like that. This time, he won't just watch. This time, he'll get her. Because he knew she was the right girl for him. He won't let anyone take her away.

After all, he already found out her deepest secret.

* * *

><p>It was Kiba's first day, and he was already freaking Naruto out.<p>

Naruto was still left with that remark Kiba gave him. '_Naruto, I'm serious about what I told you earlier_.'

What was that guy talking about? After all, he didn't like riddles. Well, it's no use thinking about it for now. He's craving for some Ramen at the school canteen so, put those Kiba riddles thoughts aside. He was starving!

As he went down the stairs, his feet suddenly froze on his steps. In an instant, he lost his appetite. He didn't want to go down further since he saw a flash of pink below. She was all alone.

Sakura did the same thing as Naruto. As she climbed up the stairs, she halted on her steps when she saw him above her. She missed this look. No bandages, no cast… she surely was glad to see him back to his own appearance. He looked all better.

Naruto didn't feel like experiencing a drama for today. Without saying anything to Sakura, he turned away and climbed up the stairs.

He did it again. He ignored her. The same thing happened over and over again for the whole month. Sakura couldn't take any of this anymore. She wanted to go back to their old relationship. When they always laugh, talk, tease each other, eat together and walk home from school together. They all did the same routine for more than ten years. And just because of her relationship with Sasuke, she ruined her friendship with Naruto.

She didn't want this to continue. They have to go back. She knew that Naruto would need her soon. Soon when Sasuke tells him everything.

"Wait, Naruto!" Sakura ran towards him and grabbed his right hand. "Are you mad at me? Come on, say it!" she pleaded.

Naruto gently pulled his hand away from her grasp. "What are you doing, Sakura-chan? Sasuke might beat me up if he saw us like this." He laughed. "Where is he by the way? Why are you by yourself?"

"Just answer me! How long will we stay like this?" Sakura said. "Please… let's stop this. I don't want our friendship to fade. You can still hang out with Sasuke-kun and me. We can still do things we did for all these years. Eating together, laughing, joking around, talking, studying… It will all be the same!"

"It's nothing like that… I'm not mad at you or anything. And why should I be mad? I just want you and Sasuke to spend more time together. You know, I've been with the two of you your whole life so, I guess I should give you two more time. Since, you guys are now a couple." Naruto tried his best to sound normal as he could. He had a very strong feeling that she could read him. Just this time, he wished she wasn't doing that.

"Do you feel that I'm snatching Sasuke-kun away from you?" Sakura asked. "Or… is it the other way around?"

What has gotten into her? Why was she being so pushy? Why was she making it so hard for him when he's trying to make it easy?

"How long will you lie to me? When will you be… honest?" She asked. "Naruto… look at me. Please. No matter what happens, I'm still your best friend. Sasuke-kun and I are still your best friends. You don't have to be so distant. It's… hurting me." She said softly.

Naruto didn't want to turn to her. If it was hurting her, then it was hurting him more. Seriously, how could she possibly think that everything would remain the same? Sasuke and Sakura are now together. They don't need someone like him in their lives. He would only just get in the way. And how could she expect that he could be with them in the same way? She was the girl of his dreams, she was his inspiration and his _happiness._ And in a snap of a finger, she was taken away from him by someone else. That someone else is his best friend, Uchiha Sasuke.

How could she expect for him to stay the same?

He liked Sakura. Even if it was his best friend whom she chose to love, there was still the pain.

No matter how hard he tried to stay happy for them, the pain won't go away. He was just human. A human with troubled feelings.

He has to move on.

He has to let go.

"Naruto." She called for his name again. "I don't want for us to end up like this. Sasuke-kun wouldn't like it. Do you know that… he cared about you most? He was just pretending as if he doesn't care about you but I know, you're more important to him than me." She said. "For Sasuke-kun. Let's make-up."

"Do you really want me to be honest with you?" Naruto dared, still not turning back to Sakura. "I really like you. That night, I've decided to confess my feelings but… I found out that the one you truly love is Sasuke. Now, how am I supposed to treat the both of you the same way? If what I'm doing right now is hurting you, then I don't know what to do anymore, because everything I do doesn't hurt me less. It's getting more painful." He said. "Even if I wanted to ignore the painful stabs… they still won't go away. I know I have to be happy for Sasuke because he's my best friend. Especially, I have to be happy for you. I kept telling myself that I have to let you go… but it's so hard. I never thought that it would be so hard." His voice gets softer and softer as he continued with his words.

"Naruto… I-I'm sorry." She stammered.

Naruto laughed weakly. "Why are you apologizing? It's not your fault." He paused and looked down. "It's mine."

"But… why do you always have to sacrifice for me? You've done a lot of things for me. You cared for me more than I cared for you. Why do you still think of me? Why do you still think of my own happiness?" Her voice cracked.

"Well then… is there a chance for me to be loved by Sakura-chan?" Naruto's voice suddenly changed. A voice that gave chills all over her body.

For a while, Sakura wasn't able to respond. Her mind was shouting different answers to her, and she didn't know which was the right one. Slowly, memories began to flash back in her mind. All about Naruto. How he cared for her, helped her, defended her… It's all coming back. He sacrificed a lot of things that Sakura never imagined he would. And what did she give back to him?

_PAIN._

She decided to give her answer. "Of course… there is." She replied.

Naruto wasn't able to react for the moment. Now he knew. Now, he knew why Sakura was so persistent in knowing the truth. He knew that she was lying to him. She might've felt the same way when he was lying to her.

"Sakura-chan, you don't have to try so hard. Be honest with your feelings… I've already accepted that the one you love is Sasuke. I can't do anything about that." Naruto said. "I'm sorry I asked you a horrible question. I promise you… I'd be fine. It will just take time and don't worry. Our friendship will never fade away."

Sakura was surprised by his words. She didn't know how to react at all.

"_Ja ne_. Be happy with Sasuke. Don't hesitate to call me when he's being a moron. I'll beat him up for you." He then left.

Sakura felt like a big burden went away from her chest. He finally told her the truth. But, she felt that she was being selfish. How could she not think of Naruto's sake? She insisted on finding out the truth despite of the circumstances.

Naruto really cared for her.

Someday… she would definitely pay him back.

"You are a very nice friend… Naruto." She whispered to herself.

* * *

><p>Naruto got home at exactly 6pm. He was extremely tired. Well, he really had a long day. He had to practice with Kiba one-on-one since he missed practice for one month. Not to mention Kiba, Naruto missed several practices because of his injuries. But he decided not to inform the dog boy about that. It's a rare chance for him to make fun and boss around Kiba, so it's unnecessary to inform the guy about the experience. To tell the truth, he hated to admit that Kiba improved so much. His attitude changed this afternoon and he seemed more motivated on soccer. Indeed, that was a very good sign.<p>

This day was a little bumpy for the young Uzumaki. He never thought that he would be able to tell his real feelings to Sakura. But it all happened. It felt like a huge boulder was lifted out of his chest. He knew that it would only take time, someday, he would be able to move on.

The aura that he was emitting was different this night, and the maids as well as the butlers noticed it.

When Naruto finished eating his dinner, he decided to go to the garden for a while to star gaze. The sky was so clear tonight and the stars shined brightly. He sat on a long log and felt the cool breeze of the fresh air.

He felt so good.

"You seem to be in a very good mood. Did something happen?" Minato approached him. He was still on his lab coat; it seemed that he just got home from work.

"Yeah. Sort of." Naruto replied.

Minato took a sit beside Naruto and gazed at the stars. "It's good to relax once in a while…" he heaved a sigh.

"You're early today. Less patients?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah, thank God." Minato said. "So… why were you in a good mood again? I know that look. It's about a girl, right?" He raised a brow.

Naruto looked away from Minato. He didn't want for the doctor to notice the red shades forming on his cheeks. But, the man got him right. It's about a girl.

"Come on! No need to be shy around me." Minato messed up with Naruto's spiky hair. "After all, I'm your fa-"

He suddenly choked on his words. He can't tell him that yet. "I'm your housemate and we have to be open with each other." He rephrased.

Naruto laughed. "Seriously, doc? I don't have to tell you things. I'm fine hiding it on my own." He said.

"What?" Minato asked.

"I'm used to hide things on my own. I know that I can't tell these things to the perverted old man. He's handling a lot of things on his own, so I don't want to be burden to him. After all, I owe him a lot." Naruto replied. "It's fine with me, though. I'm used to being alone so I keep things to myself. Gramps is always away for business trips, so I'm used to this kind of life."

"Are you… lonely?"Minato asked.

Naruto looked down. "Yeah… A long time ago, I was really lonely. I was always alone and kids didn't want to play with me because they think highly of me. Being the grandson of a famous and successful person, they thought that I wouldn't want to waste my time on them. But, they were wrong. I've always wanted to have friends. I don't care if they were rich or poor, all that matters it… they are my friends." He said. "Then I met Sasuke and Sakura-chan. They made me realize that I wasn't alone. They gave light to my dark world. Even if I didn't have my parents anymore, I was still able to be happy because of them."

Minato was feeling stings in his heart. He was gone for seventeen years. He made his son lonely. How could Naruto forgive him for what he did? He wished… Kushina was still here to help him.

"What am I saying? Why did it even went there?" Naruto scratched the back of his head. "You're ruining my mood, doc!"

"Oh, sorry about that." Minato said. "Now, tell me about this girl. I believe that you confessed to her, right?"

Naruto was somewhat amazed. "Wow! You're really good, dattebayo! How did you find that out?"

"Well, I guess I'm a good psychic." Minato grinned. "So, what happened?"

"I got rejected." Naruto said simply.

His words stunned the doctor. '_He was still happy even if he got rejected_?'

"You see, Sakura-chan liked a different person. I found that out before I confessed to her. But this day, I was able to tell my true feelings for her." Naruto said. "Even if I got rejected, at least, I was able to be honest to her. Somehow, my chest feels lighter."

Minato placed an arm around his son. "That's part of growing up. Maybe, Sakura is not for you. If she is, then it would find a way to get back to you. If not, then she's not. I'm sure, you'll find the right girl. The one who could accept you and love you for who you are. I know that she would be happy to have you in her life. You're nice, caring, funny, handsome and reliable. Who would not want you?"

"Hey… are you flattering me, Minato-san?" Naruto gave him a look.

"No. I'm telling you the truth." Minato defended.

Naruto laughed. "All right. All right." He agreed. "You know what, this is the first time I've opened up to a different person. I open up with Sasuke and Gramps sometimes, but I never mentioned the girl I liked to anyone but you. I'm really glad that I could tell these things. Thanks."

Minato instantly felt the warmth of Naruto's words spread in his chest.

"And somehow, I felt like I'm having a father." Naruto grinned.

Minato ruffled the lad's spiky hair once again. If Naruto just knew… If Naruto just knew how much that meant to him.

He knew that the right time would come, he would be able to tell the truth to his son.

But, right now, he felt like he was one step closer in becoming a father.

TO BE CONTINUED.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

It was more of a KibaHina and NaruSaku, right? Don't kill me... please! Don't worry, this is a NaruHina! _ Please, feel free to review. Hey guys, I just wanna share something. This October 2011, finally, I saw my special person. After 7 months, I was able to see him again. And... we were sitting right next to each other! As in right next to each other. We chatted for a few minutes, but we were together for almost an hour sitting right next to each other.

Sorry... I just wanna tell. I was so happy that day. ^_^ He still remembers me.

enough! please feel free to review. Catch up the next chapter.

**VOCABULARY**

**Itte - ouch**

**Hisashiburi – it's been a long time**

**Ja ne - later**

**Ara- oh**

**Hai – yes**

**Dattebayo - :D**


	8. Chapter 8: Strange Intuitions

**A/N:**

Sorry for not updating soon! Just busy with things coz... Tomorrow is CHRISTMAS(here in my country)! yay! Enjoy the chapter please. Thank you for the reviews!

**DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOT NARUTO.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 8: Strange Intuitions<strong>

Hinata was up early as usual. Every morning she tries her best to rise up earlier than Neji to make breakfast and lunch for him. This morning, it seemed she won. Her cousin was still fast asleep in his room. She went down the kitchen wearing her school uniform, and as she entered, she put on her apron. Eventhough Neji told her to leave the kitchen duties to the maids, she still wanted to cook for him. After all, he had done a lot of things for her, and this was the least she could do to pay him back.

"Good morning, Hinata-sama." Ko, her body guard greeted her warmly. "You're up early today. Neji-sama will not be delighted to see you in here again."

Hinata tied her hair into a low ponytail. "_Ohayo_, Ko." She smiled. "_Sonna wakatteru_… but I still have to do this for him. This is the least that I could do to repay all your kindness." She said as she grabbed the pan and placed it on the stove. "I don't want to be useless."

Ko passed on the cooking oil to her. "Do not say those words, Mistress. Neji-sama does not think of you that way. You have no idea how much you've changed him ever since you moved in this house."

Hinata cracked the eggs with one hand and began stirring at the pan. "_Honto? _What do you mean by that?" she asked.

"He's looking happier these days, and it's all because of you." Ko said. "He rarely smiles… but when he's with you, his cold, stern face turns into an enlightened one."

Hinata smiled with slight pink shades on her cheeks. "I'm glad."

After fifteen minutes or so, she finished cooking the breakfast. At the same time, Neji was walking down the stairs with his bag and school uniform. He was surprised to see that Hinata was already up.

"Good morning, Neji-ni-san." Hinata greeted as she removed her apron. "Breakfast is ready. Please, eat before the food gets cold."

"Hinata, I told you that you don't have to do this." Neji said.

"You better try your luck next time. I got up earlier than you." Hinata replied.

Neji sighed in defeat and sat down to eat his breakfast. Well, he did love Hinata's cooking.

"I'll just go back to the kitchen to clean up. Call me if you need something." Hinata said and turned away. After taking several steps, she suddenly felt her vision get blur. She nearly lost her balance, but prevented it by holding on to a nearby pillar.

When Neji saw this, he quickly ran towards Hinata to check on her. He grabbed her on both arms to give her more support and to avoid her from falling down.

"See? I told you not to push yourself too hard. I'll get you to your room." Neji said as he lifted her up in his arms.

"Y-you don't have to. Just place me on the couch please…" she said with a soft voice.

Neji did what he was asked to. He placed the girl on the nearby couch and gave her a glass of water.

"Ko! Please get Hinata's medicine in her room." He commanded.

Ko obeyed at once.

"No. I'm fine. I'm just tired. The doctor said that this happens sometimes. I just need to rest for a while." She said.

Neji pressed his thumb on her left wrist to check on her pulse. "You should take a break once in a while. I'll ask for someone else to go to the orphanage today." He said.

"No! I can still go today!" Hinata protested.

"But, you've been visiting it almost everyday. You've been going home late and that's not good for your health." Neji shot back.

"You don't have to worry about me. I go to Minato-san regularly. He said I'd be fine as long as I don't push myself too hard." She argued. "Please, don't stop me from taking care of the children in the orphanage. I promised them that I would visit every day to play with them. Ni-san… please… don't take this away from me, too." She pleaded.

Neji couldn't stand her puppy like eyes. How could he refuse to her? If she gave him that look, he always goes to a lost state.

He sighed in defeat once again. "All right, but from now on, I'm only allowing you to stay there for two hours. After two hours, you and Ko goes home. Understand?"

Hinata's face lightened up. "Really? Thank you very much, Ni-san!" she exclaimed and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Neji was surprised by her sudden actions. He missed it when she gives him one of her attack hugs. It has been a long time since they got close together again. It's all coming back to him now. The way he loved her deeply, cared for her truly, and protected her proudly. It never changed… the only difference for now is he's not afraid to show it anymore compared to the past years. After all, she was the one who saved him from his painful and dark past. So, no matter what happens, he would always make her happy.

He would take care of her more than how he cared for her when they were still little kids.

Until the very end… he would be there for her.

* * *

><p>At exactly 7 am, Hinata and Neji reached the school. Usually, Neji goes to school earlier than her because of his karate practice, but this day, he decided to accompany her. It won't hurt if he was late for only one day.<p>

When they were walking towards the school building, Hinata told Neji that it would be fine for him to catch up with the Karate practice. She'd just go straightly to their classroom and wait for him to return.

Since it was coming from his cousin, he followed what she told him. He left her and went to his club.

Hinata was now walking alone at the school corridors. When she was passing by an opened window, something suddenly caught her eyes. She halted on her steps and stared outside for a better view. There, she could clearly see the soccer field, and beside the soccer field was the baseball field and the track and field area. Morning club practices as usual. She leaned closer to the window and watched the athletic students warm up and train in their respective clubs. The track and fielders ran as the signal went off from the timer, baseball players swung steel bats and the others practiced pitching the ball, then the soccer team had a practice match against the players.

She could see Naruto from afar. Striking the ball to the goal, commanding his teammates and leading the strategy of his team. She was so happy to see that he was all better. No more cast on his right arm, and no more bandages around his body. No more mummy-like appearance. What a relief.

Hinata glanced at her wristwatch. It was still early. Since her cousin was not with her for the moment, she could do whatever she wants for a while. She decided to go to the soccer field to watch the team play.

Actually, just to watch Naruto play.

When she reached the soccer field, she stood from afar and watched them.

After several minutes, the team decided to take a short break. Naruto went to the bench and reached for his sports bag. After taking several gulps from his bottled water, he sprinkled the rest on his head to refresh himself. He grabbed his towel and wiped the droplets of water flowing down his hair. Then, something caught his eyes from the viewing area of the soccer field.

"Hinata?" He said to himself.

When the girl caught his gaze, she gave him a polite bow. Naruto wondered what she was doing there. It's rare to see her alone at the school grounds. This was also the first time he saw her watch the practice game. Luckily, Neji was not with her, so he was free to confront her. He threw back his things on the bench and then walked towards the maiden.

Taking a few steps away from the field, he had reached her. He started the meeting with a simple "Yo."

"_Ohayo gozaimasu_." Was her polite reply as expected.

He stood next to her and scratched the back of his head. "So… you came to watch?" he asked.

Hinata nodded. "I never knew that you were so excellent in playing soccer." She praised.

Naruto placed his hands on his hips. "Well, for your information, I am not a substitute player. I am the ace player of the team. Not Sasuke and definitely NOT Kiba." He said proudly.

Hinata giggled softly. "Yes. Yes. I was just complimenting you."

"So, what brings you here?" Naruto asked. "You know… it's rare to see you go off by yourself and watch the club practices. You don't even go to that jer—I mean, your cousin." He nearly slipped there, "You don't even watch your cousin train in the karate team."

"Well… I just wanted to tour around since I still haven't seen the rest of the school campus. Then, I found this. I decided to stop by and watch because it looks… fun." On her last words, her tone of voice seemed depressed.

"Why? Is there as sports club you want to join?" he asked.

"Um… yes, there is." Hinata answered, "The tennis club…"

"Tennis? Then why don't you join? I can talk to Sakura-chan for you since she's the vice president of that club." Naruto offered.

Hinata shook her head. "No. That's not necessary. Neji-ni-san won't allow me and-"

Before she could finish her statement, Naruto interrupted her.

"Your cousin again? Why do you always let him get in the way of your desires? Look, he's not the one controlling your life so you should stand up for yourself." Naruto scolded.

"_Chigau yo! _Neji-ni-san never gets in the way." Hinata said. "I'm the one who always gets in the way…" she whispered and looked down the ground.

"Huh?" Naruto couldn't hear her quite well.

Hinata quickly raised her head up and smiled at Naruto. "It's nothing." She said. "Anyways… thank you for your kindness. You don't have to talk to Sakura-san about that."

Naruto frowned. "But why? You said you wanted to join."

"Yes. I want to join… but I can't." she reasoned simply.

"Hey… what do you mean by that?" he asked with a concerned look on his eyes. He didn't know why, but he felt that something was wrong with Hinata. He had a strange feeling about it.

Hinata avoided his gaze. "Nothing… I think you better go. Sasuke-kun is calling for you." She pointed.

Naruto looked down at the field and he saw Sasuke waving his hand. Signaling for him to return. Even if he didn't want to go back yet, he was forced to.

"Yeah. Uhhh… are you fine here by yourself?" He asked before leaving.

Hinata nodded. "What do you think of me, Naruto-kun? A kid? I am not a child anymore… I can take care of myself."

"Okay… see you later." Naruto then left her.

Hinata watched him as he went down quickly. Strong body, fine arms and quick legs. Why was she not able to get them? How she wished she was as strong as Naruto.

As healthy as Naruto.

Naruto got back to the base. Coach Azuma blew the whistle for the start. Kiba was assigned for the throw in.

Before focusing on the game, Naruto looked back to where Hinata was. But, she was not watching anymore. He just saw her slowly walking away with a depressed expression plastered on her face.

"Hinata…" he said to himself.

* * *

><p>It was 9.00am, the end of the first subject. Kakashi went out of the room to go to his next class.<p>

Finally, a free time. This was a good chance for Naruto to approach Hinata. He was sitting beside Kiba, and Kiba was sitting behind the girl. It was easy for him to transfer to this seat because Sakura originally owns this. He exchanged seats with her since his original seatmate was Sasuke so, the pink-haired kunoichi approved without any hesitations. Mission accomplished. He got near Hinata.

But… the problem was this: Kiba has been entertaining and entertaining the girl. He kept asking her random questions like; what's her favorite color, hobby, food and even her type of guy. He was extremely getting pissed by this dog boy. But somehow, he found Kiba useful. He learned that she likes color blue, her favorite food was cinnamon rolls, her hobbies were singing—which was obvious, cooking and babysitting, and her type of guy was… a guy who could understand and accept her for who she is.

Her answer was different from the ones he previously heard from some girls. Usually, they say that they want someone handsome, cool, smart, sporty and cute. Usually, about the appearance. But, Hinata's answer was different.

Wait, why did Kiba ask her these questions?

"_Ne_, Hinata. Can you help me with this? I don't understand it no matter how hard I try." Kiba tapped her shoulder.

Hinata turned around to check what Kiba needed.

"Oh, this? You just have to use this formula and substitute the given number…" Hinata began explaining as she scribbled on Kiba's notebook.

Little did the maiden know, Kiba's favorite subject was mathematics. He never had difficulties on catching up with the lessons on that subject. While she continued explaining, he slowly leaned closer to her.

Naruto noticed this. He knew that Kiba was just flirting with the innocent girl.

This has got to stop.

Without looking at the guy, he stepped on Kiba's foot accidentally on purpose.

"Itte!" The guy whined as he felt the throbbing pain running through his foot. Then, he realized who did that evil deed.

"Naruto…" he cursed under his breath.

Of course, Naruto acted innocently. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't know that that was your foot. It was an accident." He said sarcastically.

"Damn… that hurt, you know!" Kiba shot back.

Naruto secretly rolled his eyes. "That's what you get if you keep doing that." He mumbled.

Kiba shot him a glare. "What did you say?"

"I said I was sorry." Naruto answered.

Hinata blinked her eyes several times. Slightly confused about the situation. "_Ano… Daijobu desu ka, Kiba-kun?_" she asked concernedly.

Kiba forgot all the negativities in his mind when he heard her speak. "Yes. I am fine! Very fine." He grinned, "As long as you're here." He whispered.

Few minutes later, the next teacher came, which was Mitarashi Anko.

If Naruto just stayed out of his way, he should have gotten closer to the girl even MORE.

Lunch time…

Naruto couldn't find his way to approach Hinata. It was all thanks to Kiba. That dog boy has been bugging her all morning, and Neji was fine with it! Why does it have to be that way? When he was the one being close to Hinata, Neji goes off to his guard or father mode. But, when it was Kiba making a move on the girl, it's fine with the jerk!

Wait. Wait. Wait. Was he getting jealous? And, why did he even wonder why Neji doesn't want him near his cousin? Of course, that had an obvious answer.

They hate each other. They don't get along. They fight. They argue.

Those reasons are enough to understand why.

"Naruto." Kiba's voice suddenly interrupted his thoughts.

Naruto turned to him. He was surprised to see that Hinata wasn't with them anymore. Oh, that's right. She's having her lunch at the roof top.

"What?" he asked.

"Actually… I saw you two this morning. You were talking with her the whole practice break." Kiba's tone of voice sounded serious. What's up with this guy? A while ago, he was so happy and flirtatious around Hinata, but now, why was he turning gloomy?

"Talking with her?" Naruto was confused. There it is. Another Kiba riddle.

"Yeah. With her. With Hinata." Kiba sounded irritated for Naruto's denseness. "Will you tell me the truth? Is she special to you? Do you like her?"

Naruto scoffed. "What's with that question, dattebayo? Are you out of your mind?" he glared blankly at him.

"Just answer me!" Kiba raised his voice, making the others look at him.

"You're too loud!" Naruto said. "What's with you today? Then fine. I'll give my answer to your stupid questions. I don't like anyone." He cleared. "There. You satisfied?"

"Then… if you really don't like her… why were you talking to her this morning?" Kiba glared suspiciously on him.

"Come on. We just talked if she wanted to join any sports club. And she said tennis. After that, no more. So, stop thinking about such things. Sheesh." He sighed. "Talking about jumping to conclusions."

"Only that? You don't feel anything for her?" another question came.

"Seriously, how many times do I have to tell you? I-DON'T-LIKE-ANY-ONE!" Naruto blurted. He then stood up from his seat and exited the room.

Everyone was looking at him as he head out.

Was he mad?

* * *

><p>It was three in the afternoon, Hinata had to leave early. Neji only gave her two hours to visit the orphanage. She had no time to lose because the given time was not enough to spend with the children. Still, she was thankful that he still allowed her to see them.<p>

She was done fixing her things, so it was time for her to set off. She flung her bag on her shoulder and went out of the room.

"Hinata!" Kiba called for her.

Hinata halted on her steps and turned to him. "_Hai?"_

"Are you going home now? Let's go together." Kiba invited.

"Oh… umm… I'm so sorry but I still have things to do. Be careful on your way home." Hinata gave him a bow and immediately ran away from him. She couldn't help it. She was in a hurry.

Kiba was left alone at the corridors. He watched her ran away from him again.

"Yeah, sure…. No prob." He said.

While Hinata was on her way out of the school building, something caught her eyes. A guy with spiky red hair and light green eyes on a wheel chair was staring out of an opened window.

He was in the same class as her. And if she was correct, his name was Gaara.

_Gaara… _As far as she could remember, Naruto said his name to the delinquent they encountered two weeks ago. Kankuro.

She decided to approach the quiet guy. "Umm… Gaara-kun… right?"

Gaara glanced at her with light green eyes, not even turning his head towards her. "_Nani?" _he said with a masculine voice.

For some reasons, Hinata felt shivers in her spine. His voice was cold, his eyes were keen and he looks like a guy with a mysterious personality. She wasn't sure what to say to him or how to start the conversation.

Without saying anything, Gaara grabbed his wheels and turned away from Hinata.

"_Chotto matte kuda sai_!" Hinata slightly raised her voice.

Gaara stopped and turned to her, impatiently waiting for her to speak her mind.

"_Ano…_ I'm Hinata Hyuga. I'm also in your class." She introduced politely.

"I know that." Gaara replied coldly.

"Umm… Can we talk for a moment?" She asked shyly.

Gaara didn't mind staying with her longer. He made his way close to her and waited for her to speak up.

"Does Gaara-kun know someone with the name… Kankuro?" She began.

Gaara's eyes suddenly widened when he heard her tell him that name. "How did you know that name?" he slightly rose up from his wheel chair.

Hinata looked down. "Naruto-kun and I… met him some weeks ago at the city. To tell the truth… it was Kankuro who caused Naruto-kun's injuries." She said. "Kankuro-san wanted revenge on Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun… If it's all right, would you tell me the whole story?"

"And why?" Gaara glared intensely at her.

Hinata felt scared, but she had to do this. Even if she was told to stay out of this, she just couldn't help herself. "Naruto-kun said that Kankuro-san did horrible things to you… He was the one who destroyed your dreams…"

"It's none of your business." He said.

"I know that… both Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun are in danger. Kankuro-san said he would do anything just to get his revenge on them… please… will you tell me what happened last year?" she insisted.

"Why are you so eager on finding out?" he asked.

"I'm sure… Everything happened with a reason." She said.

Gaara shifted his gaze away from her and turned back to where he was looking earlier. He was staring deeply at the soccer field. "I used to be a soccer player. I played with Naruto and the team… but, due to the accident last year, I can never play anymore. My legs were crashed by a billboard that fell down during the match."

Hinata was surprised on what she just heard. She was about to ask him if he still wanted to tell her more, but it seemed he was open to tell her.

"They all thought that Kankuro was the one who did this to me, but they were wrong. Kankuro also used to be in the team, but he was forced to drop out due to the false accusations he's receiving from the students. I tried to stand up for him… no one believed me or listened to what I'm about to say." He continued. "They all thought Kankuro pushed me towards the falling Billboard. What exactly happened wasn't like that." He looked down. "The truth is… I tried to save him because… he really was the one who's going to get crashed by that Board." He paused.

Hinata patiently waited for him to go further.

"It wasn't clear to everyone. They all thought that Kankuro pushed me. As a result, my legs got crashed and he was saved. Naruto and Sasuke got it all wrong so they beat him up. And it started… Kankuro began blaming himself and saying that he was at fault for everything that has happened to me." He clenched his fists. "He then left the school and even the… house."

Hinata gave him a look. "The house?"

"He was my brother… Kankuro was my step brother." He admitted. "You're the only one who knew this. Don't tell it to anyone, understand?"

She nodded. "Umm… do you want to see him?" she asked.

"Of course I do. I never blamed him for everything that's happened to me. After all, he was the only brother I have." He answered.

She was astounded on the guy's last statement. She was not able to react at first, but she felt warm when she heard these words from him. It was a shock when she found out that Gaara and Kankuro were step brothers, and she was the only one who knew it. She could from him how much he deeply cares for his brother. Even if he looked mysterious and cold, she could conclude that he still had a soft part deep inside him.

"I don't want this issue being talked about again. If it started, it only came from you." He said and left.

Hinata smiled to herself. "_Hai!_" she replied. "_Issho ni ikou_." She caught up to him and assisted him as they exited the school building.

When they got out of the building, both of them saw a senior waiting outside. She had blonde hair which was tied into two pair of pigtails, and she had blue raven like eyes.

Hinata gave her a respectful bow. "Good afternoon_, senpai_." She greeted.

"You… you're the new student, right?" Temari said, "Thanks for assisting Gaara."

"It's no problem." Hinata replied.

Later on, they both left her.

When they were out of sight, she started making her way to her family's car. There, she could see that Ko was already waiting for her.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Ko." She apologized first.

Ko opened the car's door for her. "Nothing to worry about, Hinata-sama."

Hinata smiled at him. She was about to enter the car when suddenly, she felt something unusual. She lifted her head up and searched her surroundings.

"_Doushitan desu ka_?" the body guard asked.

"Oh… It's nothing." She said. _"Ikemasho_." She smiled to reassure her worry-wart Ko. She got inside the car and it drove away the school gate.

Hinata was still troubled inside. She was sure that she heard a snap of a camera nearby.

But, maybe she was mistaken. She must have been imagining things.

Somehow, she was still feeling a strange intuition. It felt like… someone was watching her every move.

TO BE CONTINUED.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

Whoo. Done! The chappie was kinda short... sorry for that! Thanks for reading. The next chapter will be published in the first or second week of January 2012! YIPEE! HAPPY NEW YEAR. xD So, guys... what are your plans for christmas?

Anyways, please feel free to review. Peace!

**VOCABULARY**

**Ohayo- good morning**

**Sonna wakatteru- I know that**

**Honto- really?**

**Chigau yo- that's not true; that's not it**

**Ne- hey**

**Daijobu desu ka- are you okay?**

**Hai- yes**

**Nani- what?**

**Chotto matte kuda sai- please, wait a moment**

**Issho ni ikou- let's go together**

**Doushitan desuka- what's wrong?; Is there something wrong?**

**Gomenasai- I'm sorry**

**Ikemasho- let's go**

**Senpai- senior; upper classman**


	9. Chapter 9: Eyes on the Prize

**A/N: **

****Finally, got time to update.

I still made it before the first week of January 2012 ends. So, here is Chapter 9!

Have a great New Year everyone! Thank you for the reviews.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 9: Eyes on the Prize<strong>

"Hinata-nee-chan!"

"_Yatta! _Hinata-nee-chan is here!"

"Tell us stories again, please!"

The orphans surrounded Hinata when they saw her at the front door. They always loved her presence since she reminds them of having a mother. Telling them stories every day, helping them with their assignments, playing with them for fun, and babysitting them like they were her real kids. They do love her presence.

Hinata really got attached with these kids even if they only knew each other for a short time. She was always fond with children, especially to those who lost their parents.

"_Nee-chan! Nee-chan! _We have something to show you!" a boy with brown hair and long blue scarf grabbed her hand and led her inside.

"What is it, Konohamaru-kun?" Hinata wondered as she followed him.

When they had entered a very cute room in the orphanage, which was the study room, the children gathered in front of her with wide grins on their faces.

"Hinata-neechan, this is our present for you! We hope you like it." They all said in unison and showed her an object they made with hard work.

Hinata was surprised to see that it was a medium-sized wooden chair. Its color was sky blue, which was her favorite and it had cute design like flowers, butterflies, and rabbits. The back of the chair spelled out her name. It said _HINATA-NEECHAN_.

"It's beautiful! Did you all make this for me?" She smiled.

"Hai!" they all answered.

"We decided to make a chair for you so you won't have to sit with us on the floor. You'll be comfortable while reading us stories." A red-haired girl with pink cheeks said to Hinata, her name was Moegi.

"Everyone worked hard to finish that for you _nee-chan_. Now, you're an official member of the family!" Konohamaru exclaimed.

Hinata was feeling very happy and she didn't hide it. She could feel how much the children were appreciating her help and her presence. She never thought that they would go this far to show their gratitude to her. She was more grateful to have them in her life. "_Minna… Arigato gozaimashita_. _Nee-chan _is really happy." She smiled. "_Demo_, I still prefer sitting on the floor with you because I feel closer to each and everyone."

"You mean… you don't like it?" A snotty kid looked down.

Hinata suddenly felt guilty for ruining the great moment. "N-no! I really like it. I appreciate all your hard work. I'm so happy that you made time to finish this wonderful present for me." She said. "What story would you want to hear today?" she then sat down at the blue chair.

She was glad to see that the happiness returned to the children's faces. They all started giving her books to read and overlapping recommendations.

There was Rapunzel, Handsel and Grettel, Snow White, Cinderella and Peter Pan. She couldn't decide what to read for them.

"_Ara,_ somebody came early today." A lady-like voice came from the door.

"Ah, Kurenai-sensei. Shizune-san!" Hinata greeted.

"The atmosphere is lively today, isn't it?" Shizune said as she entered the room. She was the owner of this orphanage. "I guess we have many visitors today_, Minna_."

"_Konnichiwa_, Kurenai-sensei!" they exclaimed energetically.

"Hello. I came to visit today, and not only me." Kurenai smiled and moved aside to let her companion enter.

It was a man with spiky hair and beard carrying a lot of plastic bags with him entered the room. "Yo. Long time no see." He greeted.

"Asuma-sensei!" The children exclaimed.

"Asuma-sensei?" Hinata blinked cutely. "But, why?" she wondered.

"Well, we decided to pay a visit once in a while. We used to play with the children, too. But, we got busy at work so we couldn't pay a visit for a while." Kurenai explained.

"Plus, we have a new friend in the house." Asuma smirked.

"Really? Who is it? Who is it?" Konohamaru said excitedly.

Asuma turned back to look for the guy whom he came with but, the guy wasn't even stepping inside the orphanage. "Come on here! You don't plan standing there the whole afternoon, do you?" he shouted.

"I'm fine. I'll just wait here." The voice fed back.

Hinata was stunned. She knew who owned that voice.

"Please, hold these for a while Kurenai. I just have to take care of something outside." Asuma handed her the plastic bags and he stepped out.

After ten seconds, they heard a lot of complaints from a stranger's voice. Asuma got back inside with another guy with him. He aggressively pushed the stranger inside the room and forced him to be introduced to the kids. "Here he is! Your new playmate. Be nice to him."

Hinata was correct. That voice only belonged to that person. She could see him with her very own eyes. He was standing right in front of her with an embarrassed expression on his face.

"Naruto-kun…" she whispered.

"This _ni-chan_ is called Uzumaki Naruto." Asuma introduced. "From now on, he'll visit you guys just like what Hinata-chan does."

Naruto suddenly looked up when he heard her name from his soccer coach. "Hinata?" his body froze from his spot when he saw the girl sitting comfortably on a blue chair.

Hinata gave him a refreshing smile in return.

"What is he doing here?" Konohamaru frowned.

"He looks like a bad person, _sensei_!" Moegi pointed.

"Are we going to be fine with this kind of guy? He might molest Hinata-neechan!" Konohamaru yelled as he hugged her all of a sudden.

"_Sou yo!"_ The others agreed.

Hearing the children's negative comments, Naruto's eyebrows twitched in irritation. He shot the poor kids a dreadful glare especially to the one who was hugging Hinata freely.

"What did you guys say?" he said in a deep voice.

The orphans cried and ran behind Hinata. "So scarrry!" they shouted.

"Come on. I won't eat you all." Naruto smirked evilly.

"No! Go away you ugly monster!" Konohamaru yelled and threw him a square block, which hit him hard on the head.

A huge vein grew on Naruto's fore head. "Damn, brat…" He mumbled.

"Stay away, bad spirit!"

"Perverted monster!"

_SNAP._

That was Naruto's patience rope. Unfortunately, it tore apart. He had enough. Even if they were just little kids, he didn't care. He would show them… he would show them what will happen if they tried to mess with a person like him. He was having an extremely bad day, and these kids made it worse.

Why did he even have to be here in the first place? Of course, it was all because of his idiocy, too. He made a bet with Asuma, earlier. He said that if he won the duel, the coach would personally train him. But, since he was the one who asked for the duel, the coach had the option to choose what game they would play. And it turns out to be shogi. A game that Naruto has never played before in his entire life. What are the odds? If he lost the match, he would do anything what Asuma asked him to.

* * *

><p>"<em>Coach! Please, I want you to train me personally!" said by a determined boy.<em>

"_What?" The coach gave him a confused look after making his move on one of his shogi pieces._

_Naruto tightened his grip on his bag's strap. "Morning session and afternoon session is not enough for me! I want you to train me to become stronger."_

_The coach's opponent sighed in irritation as he moved one of his pieces. "You're still as annoying as ever." He said._

_When Asuma had turned back to the game, he was surprised seeing that his king was already cornered. That's checkmate for him once again. "Oh, man! I lost again. I'm still no match for you, Shikamaru." He said as he scratched the back of his head violently. _

_Shikamaru disregarded the remark, he responded by only with a slight upward movement of his head, the reverse of a nod._

"_Don't ignore me, 'ttebayo!" Naruto shouted._

"_Ah, right. My bad, my bad. " Asuma laughed at himself. "What were you saying again?"_

"_I said… be my personal coach!"_

"_Hmm… well, I'm not that easy to convince," _

"_Heh. I know you'd say that. So… let's have a match! If I win, you'll be my coach. If you win, I'll do whatever you want. I'll be your slave but still, you'll have to be my coach. Deal?"_

_Asuma cupped his own chin. "It seemed you thought of this hardly, eh?"_

"_So?"_

"_All right. I accept your offer." _

"_Really?" Naruto's eyes widened. "What are we waiting for? Let's go to the fields!" he exclaimed._

"_Hold it still, boy." Asuma stopped him by grabbing him from the back of his shirt. "Who said we'll be playing on the fields?"_

"_Eh?" Naruto shot him a confused look._

"_We're going to play… shogi." Asuma said with a sheepish smirk._

_Shikamaru scratched the back of his head and lazily stood up. "Ohh boy. Ma, I'm outta here. Chouji's probably dying for some barbeque." _

"_Wait… what? SHOGI?"_

* * *

><p>Naruto could still remember how Asuma defeated him on a game he never played before. But, a loss is a loss. That's why he's stuck here… babysitting the snotty kids soon.<p>

"All right, children. Be nice to Naruto-kun, okay? We'd just be in the kitchen to prepare your snacks." Kurenai said. Then she, Shizune and Asuma entered the door far left which led the way to the kitchen.

Before Asuma goes, he gave Naruto an exquisite glare as if saying _"don't mess up."_. After a few seconds, he followed the two ladies inside.

Naruto was now left with an angel and… Incubuses.

"Now, now. Don't treat Naruto-kun that way." Hinata said as she gently put Konohamaru down. "He is _nee-chan's_ classmate in school. He is a very good person."

The children stared at her blankly.

Hinata blinked cutely.

Then they stared back at Naruto, eyeing him from head to toe.

"Impossible." They all said in unison. They ignored him after that and went back on asking Hinata about reading them stories.

"These brats." Naruto murmured.

"L-let's continue with Peter Pan, shall we?" Hinata suggested to prevent any commotion.

"_Hai!_" they all sat on the floor and surrounded their Hinata-neechan. They acted as if Naruto didn't exist.

"Where have we left yesterday…" Hinata thought loudly. "Oh, it was when Captain Hook invaded Peter Pan's tree house!" she snapped her fingers and continued with the story. "Wendy said her good bye to Peter Pan. As a responsibility of a mother, she still gave him his medicine before leaving. Little did she know, Captain Hook was already outside, waiting for her with the lost boys as his captives!

Wendy was caught, as well as the lost boys. Peter had no idea about this. He was left with a present which he thought was from Wendy. But, no. It was from the evil Captain Hook. The object inside the gift was a bomb. Once Peter Pan opens the present, it would explode.

"No! No! No! Peter Pan is going to die!"

"What would happen to him now?"

Hinata leaned closer to him with a suspense tone of voice. "Peter continued shaking the present to find out what's inside it. Luckily, Tinker Bell came and got rid of the box but, she was too late. The bomb exploded."

These childish stories were not Naruto's interest at all. He walked towards a window pane and settled himself there. Plugging his earphones, he maximized the volume of his IPod. Good thing no one bothered him, at least he got some peace. He wanted to snooze for a while because this activity that Asuma gave him was troublesome.

Great. He sounded just like Shikamaru.

Even though he was disheartened, he still managed to find it fun. He was enjoying seeing Hinata being happy. For some reasons, he couldn't take his eyes off her again.

Damn… the song playing on his ears right now is "LIGHTHOUSE" by Westlife.

Before Hinata notices him, he tried his best to change the direction of his fixed stare.

Why was he even staring at her? This didn't happen once, not twice, but thrice. He's looking more of like a stalker. Great.

* * *

><p>It was already late afternoon. Shizune had called for the children to have their early dinner. Hinata and Naruto were left in the study room for the cleaning.<p>

_Why did he have to clean?_

_Part of the deal? _

_Unfortunately, yes._

"Ah, Naruto-kun can join Shizune-san and the others. I'll take care of things here by myself." Hinata said.

"A-ah, No. I'll help you." Naruto replied. For the moment, he wanted to stay with her for a while. He would pick accompanying her than staying for dinner with his devil coach.

"_S-sou_…" Hinata blushed slightly. She wasn't used being alone with a guy after all. Even if he was her classmate, still, she felt so different when he's around.

As she was gathering some scattered papers on the floor, a small figure from the corner of the room caught her eyes.

'_Yuu-kun?'_

She recognized the boy immediately. He was the new orphan who just arrived two weeks ago. To tell the truth, she still hasn't talked with him yet since he got in this orphanage. Shizune just informed her that the seven-year-old boy had lost his parents in a car crash while on their way to fetch him from school. She sure did feel sorry for him. She could picture that he was really lonely. His eyes were staring up the sky with full of mixed emotions, he was sitting on a small chair like everything was taken away from him.

Too much for a small fragile child.

Hinata didn't hesitate approaching the poor boy. She bent her knees and lowered her head beside his side-viewed face.

This was her chance to talk with him.

"Yuu-kun," she said sweetly. "_Doushita no? _Don't you want to eat with your friends?"

Yuu turned his head towards her with a confused look. "_Ne, nee-chan, _when are my '_tou-chan_ and _'ka-chan_ coming back?" he asked innocently. "Aren't they coming to fetch me? Why hadn't they come home? Where are they?"

Hinata could perfectly see a child who mourns for his parents. She can't help but feel sad inside. _He's still so young yet his parents already left him._ She never understood those who had no family. It's true that her mother died giving birth to Hanabi, but her father was still there to give them love that their mother couldn't give while she was still alive. She still had a family… but this little boy? He has none.

_Everything is under God' plan. _

That's what she was always thinking about everything.

Yuu had lost his family, but she would be there to give him a new home along with Shizune, Kurenai, Asuma, the other orphans, and… Naruto.

Hinata enveloped him with her arms and lifted him up. They both stared at the cloudy orange sky and she began comforting him.

"Do you see those cotton candy clouds?" Hinata pointed.

Yuu nodded in a childish manner.

"Yuu-kun's _'tou-chan and 'ka-chan _are there." She smiled innocently. Her eyes soared the wide sky as she held Yuu higher. "Both of them are watching over you from those clouds."

"They are?" Yuu slightly jumped from her. He looked closely at the white fluffy clouds and then frowned. "But… I don't see them." He stared back at her.

"Don't get sad, Yuu-kun. They are just hiding but they're really there!" Hinata convinced.

"Hiding?" Yuu tilted his head. "But, what if they fall down?"

"They will not fall down because they're watching over you." Hinata reassured the kid. "That's where they would only see you, so… they can't fall. The angels will not let them. _Dakara_… Yuu-kun shouldn't be lonely. If you miss them, just look at those white cotton candy-like clouds because that's where they are." She poked his nose gently. "Plus, if you're sad… they would be sad, too. Do you want that?"

Yuu shook his head swiftly. "No! I wouldn't want them to be sad!"

"So, you have to get to the kitchen and join the others for a delicious meal. Konohamaru-nichan and the others are waiting for you." She said and gently placed him down.

Yuu nodded. "_Un_!" he replied cheerfully. "_Arigato, nee-chan_." He stood on his toes and kissed Hinata on her cheeks. He then exited the room.

A blushing Hinata was left inside the room alone. Oops. Wrong there. She momentarily forgot that Naruto was helping her tidy the room.

"You're quite good with kids." Naruto commented.

Hinata blushed even harder. She looked down and started fidgeting her fingers. "Y-you saw?" she stuttered.

Dope. Of course he saw. The room was not that big for him not to see.

But who was she to blame? She momentarily did forget his presence.

Leaving the conversation at that, they started cleaning the place. Naruto was assigned to pick up the books and place them back at the shelves while Hinata untied the curtains.

Awkward silence came.

They were both keeping themselves busy on their own tasks. But, something was definitely bothering Hinata.

Should she tell him?

Or not?

The conversation she had with Gaara, that is. But, she was told to never tell anyone about the information he had given her. About Kankuro being Gaara's step brother. Not a single word. If the issue was being talked about again, it only came from her. That's what the cold-hearted guy said.

But, it would be fine as long as she doesn't tell Naruto anything about Kankuro's relation to Gaara and Temari, right?

She would feel bad keeping this as a secret to Naruto. After all, she was told not intervene in this situation. Yet, she still did. So, as she told him some things… she would also apologize.

_That's decided_.

Hinata got finished untangling the curtains. She went to Naruto and helped him carry the books.

"_A-ano_…"

She started.

"Hm?" A side glance was given to her by the lad.

"I-I encountered Gaara-kun this afternoon." She mustered the courage in her chest to let out those words. Thank God she was able to say it.

Naruto stopped and paid attention to her. A frown formed on his face.

Hinata placed the books she had on the vacant space of the shelf. "I told him that we encountered Kankuro-san at the city several weeks ago." She said. "And… that he was the one who gave you those injuries." She added.

Naruto dropped the books on the floor. "You told him what?" he raised his voice.

Hinata slightly flinched due to his loud voice. She was about to explain things to him, but was suddenly cut by the lad.

"Why the hell did you tell that to Gaara? I already told you that Kankuro was the one who destroyed his dreams. He has to avoid that bastard as much as possible." Naruto scolded. His eyes burning in rage. "And I told you to stay out of this, didn't I? Still, you stuck your nose into this."

Hinata couldn't find the courage to talk back. She just let him yell at her as much as he wants.

"Listen, this is my problem with Kankuro. He wants revenge on _me_, not Gaara." He emphasized. "Gaara has nothing to do with my problem, so don't you get him involved into this." His tone hardened.

"I-I…" Hinata gulped hard. "I just wanted to help Naruto-kun… I thought Gaara-kun could do something to stop Kankuro-san's schemes." She explained nervously. "So… I told him what I had to tell him."

"You want to help?" Naruto said sarcastically. "You think you're helping?"

Hinata looked down at his statement.

"You were attacked by those guys, too. Still, you wanted to help?" Naruto went closer to her. "I wouldn't want that to happen again. If you want to help, then stay away from Kankuro. Stay away from my problem, you got that? Don't you ever get yourself involved into this again." He said and paused.

It took seconds for him to continue his statement. And he had said it.

"You'll just get in the way."

His tone was very different from the usual. It struck her chest so hard that she wanted to scream and cry on her mother's lap. But, she can't. Her mother was not here anymore for that, and she was way too old for something like that.

Naruto looked away from her. Confused and guilty if it really was the right thing to tell her that. But, he couldn't help it. She was getting closer and closer to his problem. Kankuro already laid his eyes on her, and she had met Gaara. He was afraid to get her involved into this. He wouldn't want her to be hurt by those bastards again. When he was being swallowed by the other delinquents while Kankuro was planning to do _things_ to her, he couldn't afford to let that happen again.

So, this was his only choice.

_To push her away from him._

"You'll just be a burden."

He added. More impact to these words.

Any minute now, Hinata knew that she would break down to tears. But, she tried her best to avoid it from happening. She clasped her hand hardly and shielded her eyes with her bangs.

"G-gomenasai…" she said weakly. "I should've known from the start…" her voice got even softer."…that I'm a burden. I wanted to help Naruto-kun… but it turned out I made it worse." She bowed her head apologetically.

"_Honto ni gomenasai…"_

After some seconds, she lifted her head up and ran past him. She covered her eyes with her thick bangs for him not to know what emotion she had.

She was deeply hurt inside. Of course, that was a given.

Instead of making things better, she just made it worse.

She only got in the way.

She just turned out to be a…

_Burden._

* * *

><p>Sakura and Sasuke were both on their way home.<p>

Sasuke volunteered to walk her home, which she found so surprising. This has never happened in her life. For all those years they've been together, this was the very first time she heard those words from him.

"_I'll walk you home."_

Even if he had said it moments ago, she could still clearly hear how he delivered his cool statement. She can't help herself but giggle as the memory flashed back in her mind.

Sasuke heard her. "What's so funny?" he asked.

"Oh, nothing." Sakura smiled, holding Sasuke's hand tighter. She knew what Sasuke was trying to do. Even if he doesn't say it in front of her directly, she knew that he was trying to spend more time with her since he's going to …

She didn't want to think about that thing for now.

All that mattered for now is he wanted to be with her.

He might not tell it to her directly, but after all, actions speak louder than words.

They were getting nearer and nearer her house. Still, Sasuke still hasn't told her what he wanted to tell the whole day.

He was not good with this after all… Romantic things. That was never in his vocabulary.

Anyways, he had to face the fact that he had to do it. If not, then he would not call himself as an ace player. A guy like him was never afraid with anything, but when it comes to girls, he couldn't do anything.

Oh, he wouldn't like that. So here goes nothing.

"Sakura…" he began.

"_Nani?_" She answered quickly.

Sasuke looked away. "This Saturday… go out with me."

Congratulations. He finally said it.

Sakura got even shocked at this one. First was an invitation to walk home, and now… a date? What was happening to Sasuke? She took a good look at his face, and saw that it had red shades.

That was even more shocking.

A blushing Sasuke. The least thing she expected to see.

"My, my… Sasuke-kun." She can't help herself but laugh really hard in a melodic tone.

Sasuke frowned in irritation. "What the-? Why are you laughing?" he growled.

"I'm s-s-sorr-y." she said between her giggles. She tried to stop herself, but completely failed.

"Just give me your answer!" Sasuke snapped.

Sakura had finally stopped herself from her continuous laughs. "All right, all right. I'm sorry." She said. But his statement early didn't sound like a question. It sounded more of like a command as if she had no choice but to go with him.

Absent-mindedly, she giggled again.

This definitely caused an irritation for Sasuke.

"Just tell me if you don't want to!"

"Hey, wait! I wasn't gonna say that. _'taku_." Sakura said. She smiled at him and hugged his right arm.

"You know… That was my long time dream," she said softly. "To be asked out by Sasuke-kun someday. I never thought that it would really happen in reality." She smiled sweetly.

Sasuke looked away again. He was feeling really embarrassed, but in a good way.

"Of course, I would love to go on a date with you." Sakura said with a blush.

After that, Sasuke wasn't able to say anything. Well, there was nothing for him to say, and he didn't know what to say at all. He just responded by taking his right arm away from her and wrapping it around her shoulders.

Indeed, actions speak louder than words.

* * *

><p>6pm.<p>

It was already time for Hinata to go. She extended one hour on staying in the orphanage, Neji would be mad at her if she doesn't come home any moment now.

Since, dinner was already finished, she decided to set off.

"I have to go home now, Shizune-san. I'm sorry that I can't help you wash the dishes today." Hinata said.

"It's fine, it's fine. I have a new recruit with me, after all." Shizune smiled as she pointed at Naruto.

She referred him as a recruit.

"_Sou desu ka? _Then, I should take my leave for now." Hinata bowed.

"Eeeeh?"

"Don't go yet!"

"Stay longer!"

The children requested.

Hinata felt bad for leaving early today. "Sorry, _minna. Nee-chan _has to go now. Ko-san is waiting for me outside but don't worry, I'll come back tomorrow." She smiled.

"Really?"

"Yes. I'll come earlier and get you some cotton candies from the store I just saw." She added.

"Yay!"

That did it. She was able to get away from them easier this time. Cotton candies did the work. She was about to exit the dining room, but her eyes suddenly fell on Naruto.

Naruto was staring back at her.

Yes, they haven't talked since their conversation at the study room this afternoon. Hinata avoided him as much as possible, and Naruto did the same. After all what he told her, how could he just talk to her? And, this was what he wanted, right? To push her away from his life… to get her away from his problems. He had done it well but… why was he feeling so guilty?

Indeed, he was harsh with the girl.

"_Sayonara._" Hinata said and went out of the room.

She's gone.

Asuma elbowed him at the ribs. "Follow her." He commanded.

"What?" Naruto complained.

"It's a man's duty to ensure the safety of a lady. Make sure she gets in the car safely." Asuma stated.

Before Naruto could protest, the coach gave him a dreadful glare as if saying, _"Do it, or else you won't get your personal training."_

And with that, Naruto had no choice but to follow her.

* * *

><p>Naruto was glad that she was still walking at the hallways. He immediately spotted her and called out for her name.<p>

"Hinata!"

The maiden turned around to see him. "_N-nani_?" she asked.

He knew that she was just forcing herself to sound fine, but he could tell that she was just putting on a show. Her gaze avoided him as much as possible and he could feel that.

"Well…" Naruto didn't know how to start at all. "Asuma-kaichou told me to see you off…" he said as he scratched the back of his head, unsure with his words.

"Oh, I see." Hinata looked down. "Y-you don't have to. I'm fine by myself. Please, excuse me." She bowed and walked away from him.

Definitely, she was avoiding him.

Sub-consciously, Naruto extended his hand and grabbed for her fragile arm. He won't let her get away this time. "Hey… I'm sorry." He said in a low voice.

Hinata halted on her steps and patiently waited for the lad to continue.

Naruto gulped hard. "I know that it was harsh for me to say those words so… I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that… I didn't mean to offend you." He said.

What was happening to him? Why did he suddenly grab for her? Why did he stop her from going away? This was what he wanted, right?

So, why was he doing this?

Multiple questions came in his mind as he held the girl. Still, he doesn't plan on letting her go.

"_Ii desu." _She finally spoke. "Don't worry about it… I'm fine. I should be the one who's apologizing here, not Naruto-kun. It's my fault." She said softly.

Naruto looked at her. What did she just say?

"I didn't think of the consequences. I just told Gaara-kun everything without thinking of what he might feel or what he might do… and, I disobeyed what you told me. I still stuck my nose in your problem and became a… burden." As she continued talking, her voice got even shakier. "I'm sorry… it's my fault that it got worse. I'm sorry that I kept pushing myself in your life. I'm sorry."

After saying a bunch of "sorrys" to Naruto, she disentangled herself from the guys' grasp and opened the front door. She ran down the porch and entered the car without looking back at Naruto, who was standing still by the door. Then, the automobile drove away, leaving him all alone.

_Her fault? How was it her fault?_

She was not there when the fight started. She was not there when he and Sasuke beat Kankuro. She was not there when it all began.

Still, she was blaming herself and saying that it was her fault?

_What the heck?_

"Damn it!" He cursed to himself.

Why did it turn out like this? Why was he regretting everything that has happened?

Why was he feeling mad at himself for hurting the girl's feelings?

* * *

><p>In the darkness, pair of wild eyes watched the scene as a camera takes a video.<p>

There was Hinata, running down the porch with her hands covering her mouth and entering the car swiftly. She looked like she was crying or something.

Then, nearby the door, the screen could barely capture a statued Naruto. He was looking mad and he mumbled words that the camera couldn't capture anymore.

"So, she really is important to him."

The guy said from the shadows as he observed the blonde-haired soccer player. He chuckled as he brought out the mobile phone from his pocket and dialed for a number.

*kriing. Kriing*

After three or four rings, the person he was calling answered.

"_Yeah?"_

"Yo. Kankuro here. We proceed with the plan this Saturday." Kankuro said. He turned off his camera and kept it inside his bigger pocket. "We follow Hyuga Hinata the whole day. I don't plan taking my eyes off the prize."

He then hung up. "Uzumaki Naruto… prepare for my revenge." He said to himself and walked back into pitch darkness.

TO BE CONTINUED.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

****Happy New Year? *gets chased by angry mob with torches and pitchforks*

I know... I'm such a bad person for making them fight. But, stories are like that, right? There are conflicts between characters and events. And more of those are coming. *laughs evilly*

Look forward for the next next chapter... where the fun begins.

Please, feel free to review! By the way, I'm gonna spoil something here. There's something interesting going to happen in Chapter 10. Just read chapter 9 and you'll know! (Obviously) *gets thrown by one of the pitchforks*

I'll be updating soon! See you next time!

By the way... I miss you iKhiori! Just so you know, you're my most favorite author in this website! DITTC(not a NaruHina fic. A RyoSaku) is history. My most favorite fic of all time! I just love Prince of Tennis.

**VOCABULARY**

**Nee-chan- elder sister**

**Yatta- hurray!; Yippee!; Yes!**

**Minna- everyone**

**Gomenasai- I'm sorry**

**Honto ni Gomenasai- I'm really sorry**

**Dakara- so**

**Nani- what?**

**Ii desu- let it be; it's fine**

**Sou- I see**

**Sou desu ka?- is that so**

'**tou-chan- daddy**

'**ka-chan- mommy**

'**taku- (short for mattaku) geez**

**Sayonara- good bye; farewell**

**Konnichiwa- good afternoon; hello**

**Ano- umm…**

**Hai- yes!**

**Shogi- Japanese chess**

**Doushita no- what's wrong?**


	10. Chapter 10: The Danger Ahead

**A/N:**

****Sorry for the late update! This week was exam week for me... I was about to publish it 3 days ago but... I got really busy with school activity! My thighs and knees really hurt. I'm glad I'm still alive. It was torture, I'm telling you. TORTURE. They're still hurting right now.

Thank you very much for the reviews! They mean a lot to me. Your reviews made me keep going.

Here comes chapter 10!

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO. AND NEVER WILL. IT BELONGS TO MASASHI KISHIMOTO-SAMA.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 10: The Danger Ahead<strong>

Friday. Today is Friday. The day that every student in the world was waiting for to come. They would party all night, others would just spend the whole night playing computer games and surfing the net, others including the _special_ people would just waste it by going home early and having a beauty sleep.

_Just like Shikamaru._

But for Naruto, our hero, this most-awaited day sucks like hell. He always loved Fridays, but this time, he hated it. Not only because he had to follow Asuma-sensei's stupid orders, but also because Hinata was ignoring him these past days.

It seemed that every day for him sucked.

"Damn it, damn it!" He aggressively stepped on the grass.

"Whoa, what's wrong with you, Ace player?" Kiba, who was stretching his legs, completely got distracted by his teammate's behavior.

Naruto groaned. "Why do they have to be so troublesome?" He yelled as loud as he could that took the attention of the whole club.

Kiba frowned as he straighten himself from his stretching. "What? Who?"

"Never mind." Naruto entered the field and called for the other members. "_Yosh! _Let's go all out today! I won't hold back so better be alert or else I'll beat you up. Especially the freshmen!" he yelled.

The others were stupefied by Naruto's attitude. They're used to his energetic mood but this one was different from the energy that the ace player was showing them from the previous practices. This kind of energetic mood was rather…

_Wrathful._

"What's with Naruto-senpai today?" A freshman shivered.

"That happens once a month. Be alert if you don't want to get eaten alive." Sasuke said with his oh-so cool attitude and went to guard the goal.

"T-to get eaten?" another player whined. The freshmen were now afraid to step on the field.

"HURRY UP! I DON'T WANNA WAIT!" Naruto shouted impatiently.

"You better go. He's fiercer when you keep him waiting." Kiba patted the freshmen's back and entered the "battle" field.

All what the poor members could do was pray for the God's protection.

* * *

><p>Hinata was on her way out of the school building when she suddenly saw a familiar senior with twin pig tails at the front door.<p>

The person was leaning against a wall with her arms crossed, and Hinata assumed that she was waiting for somebody. The Hyuga decided to approach her senior and greet her.

"_Konnichiwa,_ Temari-senpai." Hinata advanced to her and bowed politely.

Temari popped one eye and looked at her. She regained her poise and bowed back. "Hinata, you on your way home?" she asked.

"_Hai_." Hinata answered. "How about Temari-san?"

"Still waiting for Gaara. He's somewhere out there, watching the soccer practice as usual."

Hinata looked down. "_S-sou_…" All of a sudden, her thoughts were disturbed by her argument with Naruto a few days ago. She told Gaara things that she shouldn't have. She couldn't help but blame herself for not thinking of what the circumstances may be. On both hands, Naruto was right. She had nothing to do with their problem. She knew nothing. She was just a pathetic new student in school who wants to fit in their lives. She wanted to help them but she just turned out to be a… burden.

_That again. _

"You wanna hang out for a sec?" Temari asked.

Hinata disregarded all of her thoughts for now. It was rather rude for her to be suddenly lost in her own world with a _senpai _by her side.

She glanced at her watch for a millisecond. "Oh. Umm… sure. " she replied.

"Come with me." Temari then stepped out the school building, and in a flash, Hinata followed her.

* * *

><p>The girls reached a very tranquil place. The grasses swayed along with the gentle wind, the trees stood firmly surrounding the area and their leaves produced a soothing sound, and the setting sun was lovely visible from where they were standing. Below the high place was the soccer field, where the players were having morning and afternoon session every day, and the other fields were visible from this high spot, too. It was indeed, a very relaxing place and you could see the beauty of Mother Nature.<p>

Hinata never knew that there was such a lovely venue in the school. She was amazed to see the great view from this high, quiet spot. She felt like she was able to touch the sky with her hands and grab everything below her. The breeze was gently cascading her smooth skin and brushing her soft long hair. Everything in here was just too peaceful. Too far from challenges. Too far from problems. Too far from cruel fates. She could just forget everything. Her problems, responsibilities, her cruel life and her unfaltering future. She could forget all of them and fly along with the wind. If that was possible, she had done it a long time ago.

"He watches here every afternoon. Always." Temari spoke.

"Eh?" Hinata was lost in her thoughts again. How careless she was. She obliterated Temari's presence, she was not alone.

Then, she was able to follow up with their current topic. She knew that Temari was talking about Gaara.

Hinata could see the red-haired guy just right a boulder below of them. Gaara was watching the soccer match, his back was facing them so he didn't notice their presence.

"He does love soccer so much." Hinata whispered.

"That is true." Temari nodded. "Ever since he was a child, he always loved playing soccer. When our uncle Yashamaru was still alive, they used to play with each other… with Kankuro, too. But, three years ago, Yashamaru-oji-san died in a car accident, and his death caused a huge depression to my brothers. Starting that day, Kankuro and Gaara's bond grew stronger and their pride in soccer got higher." She looked down at her brother from her spot. "He… he loved Kankuro so much. Gaara told me that you informed him about Kankuro's return." She turned back to Hinata. "You… even though I don't know you, can I trust you with one thing?"

Hinata nodded.

Temari smiled. "I'd like to tell what Gaara and I really feel. Ever since that incident, when all people thought that Kankuro was the one who pushed Gaara, Gaara never looked at me in the eye. I know he's blaming himself for Kankuro's disappearance because he was not able to defend him. And he told me that Kankuro was never at fault… all what he did was to save Gaara from the falling bill board. But… everyone kept blaming Kankuro. That "he's jealous of Gaara that's why he pushed him!" everyone kept repeating the same thing over and over again." She paused. "Gaara wanted to tell everyone the truth but he didn't have the chance because Kankuro made the first move. He said that he pushed Gaara towards the falling bill board on purpose, that he hated Gaara more than anything in the world, and that he was the one who destroyed Gaara's dream. He kept blaming and blaming himself. And so, he left the school… and he left our family."

Hinata was feeling very sorry for Temari. The brothers her senpai treasured so much had just disappeared in a blink of an eye. Still, she continued listening to the story.

"At first, I blamed Kankuro, too. I never paid attention to him, never listened to his explanation and kept bashing him away from a comatose Gaara. But, when Gaara woke up, he told me the truth. That's when I realized that I made a huge mistake." Temari continued. "It was too late when I wanted to apologize to him for all those cruel words I told him. He already left… and it's all my fault. I broke our family. " she bit her lower lip as if to control her emotions. "I-I took away Gaara's treasure." The pain in her voice showed more when she let out those words.

Hinata was silent, not planning to interrupt the moment.

"I… I've always thought that soccer was the most important thing to Gaara." She paused. "But… I was wrong. Very wrong. I thought I knew my brothers more than anyone else, but no. I don't know them at all. I never understood them."

"Why?" said Hinata.

"Gaara had once told me, he never regretted everything. He never regretted falling into that state, and he never regretted losing his legs for Kankuro." Temari said solemnly.

A slight throb entered Hinata's heart as she heard the statement from Temari.

"_Senpai_, _mou ii yo_… you don't have to tell me if it's hurting you." Hinata said.

But Temari insisted on telling the story of her tragic experience. She trusted Hinata with it. "I'm such an idiot for thinking that my brothers gave importance to nothing but soccer. I'm such an idiot. I was always jealous because they paid no attention to me. I was jealous because they spend more time playing that sport than hanging out with me. I really am an idiot." She said. "But all this time… for all this time… the reason why my brothers kept playing soccer is because—" a tear drop stroke down her cheeks, interrupting her words abruptly.

"Th-they've always wanted to make their elder sister proud." Temari quickly wiped the tear brimming her cheeks. But more flowed down.

"Temari-senpai…" was all Hinata could say.

The tough and strong-willed senior was weeping in front of her.

This time, Temari couldn't help but release soft moans. "I-I was really mad at myself." She continued with a hoarse voice. "I did everything to convince Kankuro to come back to us but… it wasn't enough. He said he didn't want to see me anymore. But… I never gave up. I wanted to bring him back to Gaara and I know… he'll come back to us. We will always wait for him. The door will never be close until he returns." She clenched her fists, being true to her words. "I will always wait for him. Gaara and I will always be the home he can turn back to."

"You… do treasure your brothers so much, Temari-senpai." Hinata commented.

Temari smirked. "You know what… Gaara really surprised me when I heard these words from him." She looked up in the sky and watched the clouds flew by. " _'If I were to choose between soccer and my family, I would not think twice of choosing my family. I would not regret anything if that happens.' _" she laughed weakly. "He's so deep for a mysterious person, isn't he? Sometimes, he could be idiotic, too." She sighed and looked down. "I'm a failure for a big sister."

"That's not true, Temari-senpai." Hinata quickly disapproved. "It might be true that you made a big mistake but… you're not a failure. All people commit mistakes, even the smartest person in the world. Nobody's perfect. You've already regretted what you have done, you've already admitted that you were wrong and… you're trying your best to get him back. You're doing everything to make things right." She said sincerely. "You are not a failure… you're far from being someone like that. Anyone would be thankful to have you as a sister, Temari-senpai. That's why your brothers love you so much."

The smile on Temari's face got back when she received Hinata's warm words. She was glad that she talked to someone like this maiden. She didn't know why but… she felt so light when she expressed everything that she kept for a long time inside her. And she chose Hinata to listen to her. She didn't regret it. "Arigato… Hinata. I feel much better."

When they both looked down, it came to a realization that Gaara has spotted them. He looked quite upset for not being able to listen to their conversation.

* * *

><p>"Damn! They're so troublesome!" until Naruto got back home, he was still muttering those words.<p>

Great. He sounded more and more like Shikamaru. But, the pineapple-haired guy was indeed correct. _Girls _are the most troublesome creatures on Earth. Even though Hinata already forgave him, he was still having troubled emotions. He couldn't stop thinking of her, he spent sleepless nights worrying about her and his thoughts were never peaceful because of her.

Who was she to make him feel so troubled?

He was leaning on a pillar in the veranda and staring up the dark sky. No stars today because of the thick clouds. Now, his only relaxation was hidden from him. He doesn't know what to do anymore to calm himself anymore.

"You look frustrated these days." Came a voice. It was from Minato. He walked towards Naruto and gave him a can of soda. "What's wrong?"

Naruto accepted the soda. He thanked the doctor by giving him an upward movement of his head, opposite of a nod. He effortlessly removed the steel tab for he wanted to take on the soda with one big gulp. His thirst was finally filled. Now, that he thought about it, he realized that he hasn't drunk any liquid since morning. Good thing he's a man made of steel. He was not dehydrated.

Once he's done refreshing himself, he opened up to Minato.

"Girls! They're way tooooo troublesome!" once again, he sounded like Shikamaru. Maybe a more exaggerated Shikamaru.

"Girls? Still girls? When we talked last time you were so energetic because you got _rejected _by a girl. Now, you are so irritated because of a girl. Is she the same girl? This… Sakura, was it?" Minato leaned beside the other pillar.

Naruto shook his head. "No. Another girl." He answered. "Aaaargh! She's too troublesome!"

"What did she do to make you call her troublesome?" Minato asked.

Naruto sighed. "Well… we had an argument a several days ago. I know what I did was wrong so I apologized. She accepted my apology and told me that she's completely fine. But, I think she's not. I really feel guilty for being mean to her. And she even blamed herself about things that she doesn't have anything to do!" he scratched the back of his head. "Also she's been ignoring me lately. Why does she have to be like that?" he groaned.

"After thinking so much about Sakura… you have another girl?" Minato chuckled.

Naruto glared blankly at him. "Are you here just to make fun of me?"

"Sorry, sorry." Minato said in the midst of his chuckles.

"I'm here to help you."

"Help me?" Naruto flattened the soda can and threw it to a nearby trash can. "How can you help me?" He asked.

"You see… I'm kinda good with girls." Minato cupped his chin. "In your situation, I can obviously see that you are very confused. After your extreme heartache from a girl who turned you down, here comes another girl in the picture. I think she's somewhat special to you. Well, I've observed you this week and I could conclude that you forgot about your heartbreak because of your new problem." He continued. "Just try to be honest with yourself. You never know, she might be the one to cure your wounded heart."

"So what's your point?" Naruto was still bothered.

"What I'm saying is… you might have special feelings for her." Minato shrugged. "After all, the most advisable way to cure a broken heart is to find new love from someone else."

"That's not helping at all." Naruto rolled his eyes. "I'm so not in love with her or with anyone, 'ttebayo! Say that advice to other people but not me." He walked pass the doctor.

"All right. It's up to you. It's your life. But, don't regret anything if that girl gets taken away by somebody else."

Naruto halted on his steps when he heard the _kind_ words Minato gave him.

Hinata, taken away by somebody else.

Hinata, hanging out with another guy. A guy called her boyfriend.

Hinata, not being there with him anymore.

He was used with the maiden's presence. She was there when he was down—they even cuddled at the rooftop! She was there to save him from Kankuro's gang, she once watched the soccer practice, he always sees her at the orphanage and she always says good bye to him whenever classes end.

He was doubtless of how he grew fond of the girl.

What could happen if she was taken away?

Hold on one second.

Why was he even thinking about that? They only knew each other for one month_. One month. _He was sure that he had no special feelings for her. He was sure that she was just his classmate. Schoolmate. Co-worker in the orphanage.

No more, no less. But, why was he feeling more disturbed?

Minato just made it worse…

* * *

><p>Disaster. Sakura caused a huge disaster!<p>

It's Saturday and it's all ready 11.00 am. Sakura overslept. How nice. She still haven't decided what to wear, what to give Sasuke and what to talk about in their first ever date.

Why was she so careless to oversleep? They had to meet at exactly 1.30 pm. She had only two hours and a half to prepare. Would she make it? She still had to make lunch since Sasuke said he wanted to eat her cooking, she had to pick what she has to wear, take a bath, arrange her hair and have her breakfast. In her daily routine, doing all those things consumed two hours every morning. But making her _bentou—special bentou _takes one hour in the making. Disregard the two hours. All in all, she needs three hours to get ready.

She gracelessly hoisted herself from her bed and reached for her mobile phone.

She needed an ally at times like this.

*kriing. Kriing*

"_Moshi moshi?"_ a girl answered.

"Ino! Come over now, quick!" Sakura yelled as loud as hell. "You ought to help me. I still don't know what to wear!"

"_W-what? All right, all right. I'm coming over. Just stay put and don't panic."_

Sakura sighed in relief.

"Yes. Just hurry up." She said.

Then the line was cut. It's good to have a friend that you can count on. She was lucky that Ino was available today, usually, every Saturday Ino and her father(Inoichi) goes off to explore the mountains. The Yamanaka family owns a flower shop, hunting in the mountain is one of their daily routine to look for fresh flowers.

After a minute or two, the Yamanaka girl came. Another good thing was the girl lives in the neighborhood.

"What are you doing? Why are you still unprepared?" Ino scolded.

"Well… I overslept." Sakura idiotically stuck out her tongue for her failure.

Ino sighed, "_Mou_, you were so looking forward for this day!" She opened her best friend's closet. "But, don't worry. I'm here to set things right!" She exclaimed.

"Thank you very much, Ino-sama!" Sakura gave the blonde-haired girl one of her bear hug attacks.

_After hours…_

_1pm._

Everything was now under control. They were finished making the _bentou_ and doing all things that concerned Sakura's grooming. She's ready to kick some butt! Not literally, though. Thanks to Ino, she was able to catch up with the running time. She thought that she was never gonna make it, but again… her deepest gratitude goes to Yamanaka Ino.

The great daughter of the Yamanaka family across the street.

Ino was always the fashionable one in school. Without her help, Sakura might not be the school belle at all. Instead, it may be Ino. She never gets lost from the trendy objects in the whole fashion industry. But the thing is; she wanted to dress up other people than dressing up herself. So, she made Sakura wear clothes that suited her most.

Sakura was wearing a green casket hat that covers her short pink hair, around her neck was a silver pendant, and a pink spring sleeveless dress with a white cardigan on top of it matched with her white sandals.

"I'll never forget this. I'll make sure to pay you back soon. I promise." Sakura clasped her hands as she stared at Ino in amazement. "What about a date with Sai-kun?"

Ino forcefully pushed Sakura inside the car. "Just run along! It's not good for a girl to be late on her first date with her dear boyfriend." She said. "I wish you luck. Have fun with Sasuke-kun." She winked.

Sakura smiled. "I will!_ Ja ne_."

At exactly 1.15 pm, Sakura arrived at the meeting place, which was at the café down town. She was fifteen minutes early, thank goodness. She first settled herself at a table near the counter. "Sakura-san?" came a masculine yet calm voice from the counter. Sakura lifted her head to see the person who called her. She expected to see Sai. He works as a part-time waiter here, after all. His uncle, Danzo, owned the place. "Sai-kun, good afternoon." She greeted. "Can I take your orded?" Sai asked. "Please, just give me a glass of cold water." Sakura requested.

"Coming right up." Sai said. He walked towards the kitchen, after a few seconds, he came back holding a glass of icy cold water on a round tray. He gently placed down the glass in front of his customer.

"Are you waiting for someone in particular?"

She thanked Sai and took a zip on the water before answering. "Well… yeah." She smiled.

"May I guess…" Sai said, "Is it Sasuke-san?" he smirked.

Sakura suddenly blushed. She always does whenever it comes with Sasuke. "Yeah… you're correct." She said softly.

* * *

><p>Konoha General Hospital.<p>

1.17pm.

"You're doing very fine this week, Hinata. No need to worry about sudden attacks as long as you don't work yourself too hard. I can say that you're in your best state this month." Minato said happily as he handed out the x-ray results to his patient.

"_Arigato gozaimashita_." Hinata said as she accepted the envelope of her results.

"I know your father would be very delightful when this gratifying news gets to him." Minato said. He placed down his face and gave Hinata a mocking stare. "Are you hiding something from me?" he asked with a provoking voice.

Hinata blinked cutely. Bewildered by Minato's sudden question.

Minato knew that Hinata wasn't able to comprehend the topic. He just had to change the question to a more understandable one. "Did something interesting happen this month? Your aura is very different. It's like you're… in love." He raised a brow.

Hinata abruptly blushed at his words.

Minato can't help himself but smile at the innocent girl's cute reaction. She never changed. She was still the little girl he met several years ago.

The maiden who was so eager to get well. The maiden who doesn't lose hope.

She never changed. But, one thing was definitely new about her.

She was smiling more frequently.

"It's nothing like that." Hinata defended. But the thought of Naruto hugging her, defending her from the delinquent students and eating with her at the rooftop made her blush even more. Why did he unexpectedly enter her mind at times like this? She decided to ignore him lately because of a mistake she has done. But, he was still haunting her mind every night.

She was thinking of him.

Minato chuckled. "All right. I won't force you to say it. I'm just your doctor, I just need to check on your health, not your love life."

Was he trying to make Hinata feel guilty? If he was, it was effectively working on the girl.

"Minato-san, too. You look more cheerful these days. D-did something happen?" She tried not to stutter nut badly failed.

Minato placed his right elbow on his table and settled his chin on his knuckle. "Well… I can say that a lot of great things happened to me this month. I guess we're just the same." He replied.

"I see. It's good seeing you smile again. You were always so depressed… I don't see Minato-san smile often." Hinata looked down. "I-I mean, you smile at your patients but… it doesn't reach your eyes. You were like that ever since Kushina-san passed away. You were trying your best to look fine in front of other people but… deep inside, I could feel that you're really lonely." She stated.

Minato never knew that Hinata has been observing him so closely. He never expected for her to be worried about him so much. And about how she mentioned Kushina? It was true. He can hardly move on from her death.

He patted Hinata's head and smiled at her gently. "Don't worry. Sensei is fine. As long as my patients are fine, sensei is happy."

"_Hai_." Hinata smiled sweetly.

"You should run along now and spread the great news to your family." Minato said.

Hinata stood up from her seat and gave the doctor a respectful bow. "Thank you very much. I will be back next time."

Minato stood up from his seat and escorted Hinata out of his clinic. He watched the fragile girl walking across the corridors and whispered to himself,

"I'll definitely find a cure."

Little did Hinata and Minato knows, their happiness was caused by only one person.

Uzumaki Naruto.

* * *

><p>Hinata lied to Minato. She said that her body guard, Ko, was accompanying her today for her check-up. But that was a lie. She came here all alone and told Ko that she would be fine by herself. Her bodyguard insisted on going with her but she didn't give up on having her time alone. She told him many reasons, so somehow she was able to convince him on one condition.<p>

He's only giving her two hours. After two hours, they would go home. And with that, Hinata accepted the offer.

Ko thought that she'd be staying at the hospital for two hours, but that was wrong. Again, she lied. She was going to a cake store that's why she wanted to be alone.

Temari was the one who recommended her that place since she found out that Hinata was interested in baking sweets. The name of the _pastry store was __Suna__. The Kanji of Sand. Weird name, but it was interesting, though._

_The __Suna_ was located at a somewhat quiet place in the city. No people around, it looked like a haunted street.

When she had reached the store, an old lady with a small puppet in her hand (who looked really scary) greeted her.

"What would you want?" the elder asked with her ruined voice.

"I-I would like to have the newest product, please?" Hinata answered politely.

"Oh, you must be the girl who Temari was talking about. Fine." The old woman said. "You can call me Chiyo."

"_H-hai_." Hinata replied.

After a few moments, Chiyo handed her the paper bag that contained the new freshly made pastries. "Come again, soon." She said.

At exactly one minute, she was kicked out of the store. She decided to get back to the hospital since she had nothing to do anymore.

The gentle wind blew along the tranquil yet haunted street as she walked by. But, suddenly, a noisy car came and parked on the other side of the road. It completely distracted the girl. Who would not be?

Three guys went out of the car. First was a guy with spiky black hair with piercings on his palms, followed by a guy surrounded with bandages that only made his left eye visible, and the third one was familiar to her. The guy had purple make-up on his face and she could clearly say that it was Kankuro.

She was sure of it.

What's worse? They were making their way towards her.

Without thinking, she ran away. She had to escape this place now because she knew danger awaits her. But her speed was not enough to execute her great escape. A hand grabbed her shoulder and pulled her aggressively.

"You're coming with us." Said by the voice of Kankuro.

TO BE CONTINUED.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

Cliffhanger? *gets chased by angry mobs with torches and forks*

I'll try my best to update as soon as possible! (Here I go again).

Sorry if there wasn't any NaruHina moments here. A lot of NaruHina will happen at the next chapter, don't worry. Please, review! Thank you~!

**Vocabulary**

**Senpai- upper classman; senior; a person who's older a year to you in school or in work**

**Hai- Yes; yeah**

**Mou ii yo- that's enough**

**Suna- sand**

**Konnichiwa- good afternoon; hello; greetings**

**Ja ne- later**

**Arigato gozaimashita- thank you very much**


	11. Chapter 11: Change

**A/N:**

tantararantantan! Here comes the next chapter. Whew. I kept my word. I updated sooner, didn't I? Thank you so much for the reviews!

Oh, and one more thing. I would like to say something to **Jasper**, who reviewed on Chapter 4. I respect your opinion about me, using Japanese language. But I'm clearing something. I'm not just showing off Japanese eye candy. It's just, I can't write when there's no Japanese language. Naruto is made by a Japanese after all, so... I wanted to relate some of the language in this story. Sorry if you can't handle it anymore. Well... I get carried away whenever I write this fic. I don't notice when I insert a "Japanese eye candy". I plan to lessen it. Thank you for your opinion. Enjoy the rest of the story! ^_^ I'll use maximum of five japanese words in the next following chapters!

**DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOT NARUTO.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 11: Change<strong>

It was 1.18 pm. Naruto had nothing to do at home. His grandfather was out for an emergency meeting and Minato was out for weekend work at the hospital. He was left alone in the freaking mansion again. _ Boredom _just came in his mind several hours ago and it doesn't plan to leave him alone.

Another boring day.

He couldn't hang out with Sasuke because the cool dude said he was busy and wouldn't want to be bothered. He sure had to deal with the great boredom alone without an ally. Of course, he doesn't plan to lose. He'll get rid of it as soon as possible.

Naruto rose from his bed and changed his clothes. With the finishing touch of wearing his orange jacket, he went out of his room. Down the stairs, he was greeted by a maid.

"Naruto-sama…" the maid spoke.

Naruto gave her a look. "What?"

The maid began fidgeting in front of her young master. The other maids popped their heads from a huge pillar from the living room and it seemed they were cheering for her.

"What's with you? Spit it out." Naruto scratched the back of his head aggressively, showing impatience.

"Well… umm… Jiraiya-sama left an errand for you." She grabbed something from the pocket of her white apron, "Here. He wanted you to go to this place." she handed him a small piece of paper.

Naruto took the paper hesitantly. His brows furrowed as he saw the only content of the crumpled sheet. It was an address. An address of a pastry store. It was quite familiar to him but he was not sure if he had been there before.

"The master wanted you to fetch some new products so—"

"Got it already. I'll be back later." Naruto walked pass her. He slid the crumpled paper inside his orange jacket. A few steps across the living room, he reached the shoe rack. He picked his black rubber shoes and put it on.

As he was working on the knot on his right foot, the shoe lace tore apart.

"What the?"

These new rubber shoes were made from the finest brand in the world. The newest and strongest product of Nike, which he spent his money for about two-hundred fifty thousand yen, and for the fourth time he wore it, the shoe lace ripped.

What could go worse? His new shoes were unusable now. When he checked the lace, he could see that it was still strong and classy so there's no way it would suddenly break.

All of a sudden, he remembered something. Not a good sign…

When a shoe lace rips apart, something dangerous will happen according to the superstitions.

* * *

><p>"W-what do you need from me?" Hinata tried her best not to shake, but failed badly.<p>

"We just need you to come with us. We won't hurt you as long as you follow us like a good girl." Kankuro advanced towards her with his companions. His allies were creepy looking students, too. One had black spiky hair with weird piercings on his palms, and the other one was coated with bandages that only left his left eye visible, just like a mummy.

"Why? Why do I need to come with you?" Hinata stepped back.

Kankuro chuckled. "You're that _bastard's_ new girl, right? Remember, I still need to take my revenge on him. You're very useful to us."

His words gave shivers to Hinata's spine. She knew who Kankuro meant by _bastard_. Of course, it was Naruto. And the guy even thought that she was the Uzumaki's girlfriend. She wanted to blush but this was not the appropriate time to do something as dumb as that action. Her top priority right now is to get out of here. They would use her to lure Naruto into their trap… they would use her to hurt him.

No.

She can't let that happen. No matter what, she has to get away from them. Not only for her own safety, but also for Naruto's. Even if she knew that a girl like her was no match for three delinquent guys, she still had to _try_.

"Come on now… be nice." Dozu, the guy with the bandages, grabbed her wrist tightly.

She flinched from his tight grip. "No. I won't let you." She blurted. She threw the paper bag towards the mummy-like guy, she flung her shoulder bag towards Kankuro and pushed Zaku aside. She didn't know how she was able to do that, but never mind. There was a huge opening now, she could escape from them.

Hinata ran as fast as she could through the sidewalks, she crossed the abandoned street until she reached the central square with no people. Seriously, what's with this town? Did people disappear just like a bubble? Nevertheless, she continued running, and not far away from her, heavy footsteps have arrived.

Before she could make another turn from the central square, the three guys reached her coordinates.

"You're a fast runner. I like girls like you." Kankuro said as he caught his breath.

"You can't get away now." Zaku smirked evilly.

"Wh-why are you doing this? Is it because of Gaara-kun?" Hinata acted brave. Of course, she didn't want them to notice that she was scared.

"Shut the hell up. How did you even know about that?" Kankuro growled. It's like Hinata struck a nerve there. "Whatever… I'm not doing this for Gaara or anything. Right now, I want you." He said.

Dozu and Zaku laughed maniacally as they inched closer to Hinata.

Hinata pushed them again, and screamed for help.

"No one's going to hear you here. No one will come." Kankuro said.

Hinata didn't want to give up. She knew God would not let her be. God would be there to help her. She just has to have faith and hope.

_Someone will come._

* * *

><p>Naruto had reached the said street from the crumpled paper. He looked around only to see no one, somehow he felt a strange feeling. This place gave him the creeps. With his motorcycle, he toured around the place and searched for <em>Suna<em> pastry store. When he had reached a more tranquil place, he began to regret of coming here. This was more boring than the freaking mansion; he should have stayed there instead than being here. He was getting more and more suspicious of this town.

On his left side, he saw a parked car with wide open doors but no one was inside.

"Careless dudes…" Naruto murmured.

As he continued driving, it became quieter. What a dead place this was. Who would build a store in this kind of place?

"elp me—!"

A squeaky voice was slightly heard from his spot. He halted on his ride and checked twice. He thought he just heard a voice. A voice of a girl.

Naruto shook his head. "Nah. Must be my imagination." When he was about to continue his ride, a flash of dark blue hair caught his eyes. A little far from his spot, Hinata—Hinata was struggling from a guy's grip on her mouth.

Without thinking twice, he left his motorcycle in the middle of the road and dashed towards the maiden in trouble.

Kankuro. He saw Kankuro touching Hinata with filthy hands.

* * *

><p>Hinata continued struggling from Kankuro's grasp. He had placed his hand on top of her mouth to silence her. He was strong. Too strong for her. She was beginning to feel wheezy due to the absence of oxygen in her lungs. She needed it badly.<p>

'God… help me… please." She mentally prayed.

As the sensation continued in her lungs, she never thought she would be able to breathe in air again. In a flush, she felt relief in her respiration organ. Air had entered again. God had come for her aid. She felt someone pull her away from Kankuro's grip and there… she felt safe. When she opened her eyes, a blond-haired guy surprised her vision.

He was standing in front of her, shielding her from the delinquent guys.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Naruto shouted at them loud as hell.

Hinata was dumbfounded behind Naruto.

He came. He was the one God sent to save her.

"Naruto-kun…" she muttered.

"What do you need from her?" Naruto growled. "Why are you attacking Hinata?"

"Move aside. It's not you whom we want right now. It's her." Kankuro pointed.

Naruto charged towards the three guys and slump them down the ground hardly. He looked at Hinata and said, "Run away! Hurry!"

Hinata was still not back to her senses. She was watching Naruto struggle with the villains and it pained her eyes. She wanted to protect him from them, but what had happened? Instead of _she_ protecting him, he ended up saving her instead.

Why did it turn out to be like that?

Tears were threatening to fall down her eyes.

"Get out of here, Idiot!" Naruto's loud voice stupefied the girl. She was finally back to her senses.

He was glaring at her directly, desperately commanding her to run away. He was there, doing everything to protect her from those guys. He was sacrificing himself for her own safety. All that mattered to him was to save her.

Even if she wanted to help him, she knew she can't. If she stayed longer… she would just be a burden.

_A burden._

That's what she was. She was only a huge burden for the guy… if it weren't for her, they wouldn't be in this situation.

Dozu had gotten away from Naruto's grasp. The guy made his way towards Hinata.

"What are you doing? _Nigeru!" _Naruto yelled for the third time.

Hinata nodded weakly. She did what Naruto commanded her to. Even if her knees wobbled in fright, she tried her best to sprint away.

In a few seconds, Dozu claimed her.

Hinata struggled.

"Someone! Please, help!" she shouted on top of her lungs.

Naruto saw that Hinata was captured by the mummy guy out of the corner of his eyes. He quickly hoisted up and raced towards the maiden. He pushed Dozu away from her, and dragged her with him.

They tried to escape.

Unfortunately, the other two had reached them. Zaku collided with Naruto, while Kankuro pulled Hinata away.

"Trying to act cool in front of her again, huh? You're so lame." Kankuro hissed.

Dozu caught up with them and helped Zaku beat Naruto up.

"_Yamete kuda sai_!" Hinata begged as she tried to escape from Kankuro's grip. She hated to see Naruto getting hurt all over again. She can't let that happen twice. He was once injured because of her…

He was there getting beaten and all she could do was watch.

"If you would just obey us, then we'll leave your boyfriend alone!" Kankuro cupped her chin to stop her from struggling.

"No!" Hinata turned her head away.

"Stop fighting back, bitch!" Kankuro raised his hand and was about to hit her.

"Get away from her!" Naruto thrusted Dozu and Zaku. He snatched Hinata away from Kankuro and grabbed him by the front shirt. "If you want me, then here I am. Just leave Hinata alone, you coward!" he said in his gritted teeth.

Kankuro smirked evilly. He punched Naruto's stomach hardly and kicked him until he knelt down.

Naruto coughed blood. His knees fell down the ground, he could taste the steel flavor of blood in his mouth, and his thoughts began to get cloudy. When he noticed that the three guys were going after Hinata again, he mustered all the strength left in his body in hoisting himself up and he enveloped her in his arms. He had to get her away from here.

"Give her to us!" Kankuro yelled. He kicked Naruto from the back without even concerning the girl's presence in the lad's arms.

They both stumbled down the ground when Naruto had received the impact from Kankuro. It's a good thing that Naruto was quick on his moves. Before they had fallen down, he quickly turned his back towards the ground and placed Hinata on top of him. When they fell, she was safe from hitting the floor since he used his body to shield her.

Hinata looked up to him.

Their faces were few centimeters away from each other, and she knew that this was not the right time to do this but, she can't help herself but turn tomato red.

Suddenly, Naruto wrapped his arms tighter. He rolled over and they exchanged positions. He was now on top of her, protecting her with his body from Kankuro's gang.

The guys merciless attacked Naruto. But, the blonde-haired lad didn't budge. He buried her head deeper on his chest. He did not let Hinata go.

_Like hell he would._

Even if his body was aching like hell, he didn't care. He would accept all their punches, throws, kicks or whatever attack they would make just to keep them away from Hinata.

"Give the girl to us already!" Dozu yelled. The three of them forcibly pulled Naruto away from her. They threw him on the other side and beat him up.

"Hinata… escape… go." Naruto whispered as he accepted all of their blows.

Hinata's eyes began to water. When she blinked her eyes, tears stroke down her cheeks. Why? Why was he trying so hard to protect her? She was nothing to him. She was just his classmate. No more. No less. Still, he was here… doing everything to save her.

"Hu-hurry up! Run away!" Naruto's voice cracked. He hugged the three guys' feet, preventing them to get away.

Hinata nodded weakly and began to run away. She reached for her mobile phone from her bag and started dialing her cousin's number.

"Fuck. You don't know how to give up, do ya?" Kankuro hissed. He kicked Naruto hardly on the side, making him wince in pain. He was able to get away from Naruto and he followed the damsel in distress.

Not far away from Naruto's sight, he saw Kankuro laid hands on her again.

"Let me go!" Hinata struggled and she dropped her phone on the ground. "Someone! Help!"

Not far from the central square, a sports car was driving in the middle of the road. Giving the scene a side glance, the rider was able to familiarize who was calling for help. The guy with black spiky hair, raven-like eyes, wearing blue classy shirt immediately went out of the car. He raced across the street and punched the guy capturing the girl.

Hinata was shocked when she saw who came to help them. She was breathless when she saw him.

"Sasuke…-kun."

Sasuke gave her a quick glance, and then he turned back to Kankuro.

"Kankuro." He glared intensely at him.

Kankuro slowly rose up. He wiped the blood running down his chin by the back of his hand. "Che… Uchiha Sasuke."

Sasuke searched around the area. There, he saw Naruto getting beaten by the two other guys, nearly losing consciousness. He gazed back at Kankuro and cursed him mentally. Suddenly, he attacked him by strangling him.

"Leave Naruto alone!" He shouted.

Kankuro pushed Sasuke away and punched back. "I'll leave you all alone if the girl comes with us."

"Scram. No one's coming with you." He shot back. He threw another punch at the ugly guy.

They exchanged attacks for a while, then… Naruto spoke.

"Sasuke… Take Hinata and run!"

Sasuke gave him a frowned look. "What the hell? We can't leave you here!"

"JUST GO!" Naruto screamed on top of his lungs.

Before Sasuke could react, he felt a strong impact on his face. He flew down the ground when he received the punch.

"You don't know how much _I_ wanted to do that, Uchiha!" Kankuro shouted. Sasuke was still down, and he continued attacking him. Much worse, he saw a thick wooden stick near them. He picked it up and used it for more severe attacks.

He swung the wood towards Sasuke's head, making it bleed as a result.

Sasuke ignored the intense pain. He blocked Kankuro's next attack and pinned the guy down the ground. He began punching him mercilessly.

'_No… this can't be happening.'_ Hinata can't take this atmosphere anymore. People are getting hurt. And it's all because of her. She wanted to protect Naruto, but he ended up protecting her instead. He wasn't even fighting back because she had once told him… _violence is not the solution to everything. _And there was Sasuke. He was also fighting for her, too. If she was just strong enough… if she just followed Naruto to stick her nose out of this… none of this might happen.

Everything has got to stop. She has to make things right.

"Stop it already!" Hinata raised her voice.

Sasuke stopped his next blow. The other two stopped hitting Naruto.

"So she finally decided to come?" said Zaku.

"Maybe." said Dozu.

Naruto suddenly felt electrified. "What? No! Hinata!" he yelled.

"Shut up!" Dozu kicked him again.

Naruto whined and more blood came from him.

Zaku crouched down to him and grabbed him by his hair aggressively. "You can't do anything. You're just a weakling." He hissed.

"Please… enough! Don't hurt Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun anymore." Hinata argued. She gathered up all her courage as she turned to Kankuro.

"Kankuro-san… Temari-senpai and Gaara-kun are still waiting for you." She said.

Her words made the whole place silent. Neither of the guys spoke, instead they just looked at her.

Kankuro pushed Sasuke out of his way. "You're bluffing."

Hinata shook her head. "It's the truth… they never blamed you for anything. Especially Gaara-kun. And, Temari-senpai was already regretting for not listening to you. They want to see you again. They want you to come back home!"

Kankuro took a step closer to the girl. "Shut up. I'll slit your throat."

"They want to be with you again. You can stop trying so hard now… you can go back to your family." Hinata continued. "Gaara-kun told me everything. The falling billboard and… how he got injured. I know it's not your fault. You never wanted any of that to happen. You wanted to say the truth to the others but you were scared that they might not believe you. It's true that Temar-senpai didn't listen to you at first but now… she wanted to restore your family more than anything else!"

Kankuro took another step. His eyes even fiercer. "Shut the hell up."

"The truth is you wanted to save Gaara-kun from the falling billboard. But, he ended up saving you instead. Everyone thought that you were the one who pushed him. They never listened to you because they were mad. They started hating you. So… you started blaming yourself for everything that has happened. You told everyone that it was your fault. That you were the one who pushed him… that you were the one who took away his dream. And you hated yourself, and left the family."

"Stop."

"You can still go back to them. I… I can feel that you're very lonely, you just don't express it. But, you're missing them more than anyone else. You can still return… you can still go back… you can still… _change_."

"Don't act as if you understand what I feel!" Kankuro extended his hands towards her and grabbed her front shirt.

"Hinata!" Naruto yelled. He wanted to get up from his position and knock the hell out of Kankuro for doing that to Hinata. His anger raged.

Hinata gave him a look as she noticed what Naruto was planning to do. She stared directly on his eyes and passed a messaged in secrecy.

'_Please… trust me on this.' _

That's what the stare meant.

He completely understood it. But… what the hell? How could he just lie down here and watch while she gets attacked by that jerk?

"Gaara-kun never regretted falling into a state like that. He does love soccer so much. He was aiming to become a pro. That was his dream, right? And… he always wanted to play with you." She said, "And… he—he said he never regretted saving you. If he was to choose between soccer and his family, he would leave soccer behind."

"Liar!"

Kankuro pushed her away then he strangled her.

"Gaara-kun loved his brother more than anything else in the world." She said as she restrained the tightness of his grip. "Th-that was his real feelings…"

Kankuro's grip suddenly loosened when he heard her last words. His hands fell down to his sides as he clenched his fists. He didn't want to look weak. He didn't want to believe her. This girl was just lying to find him an opening.

"NO! You're talking bullshit!"

"People can change… you can change. Anyone can change for the ones they love." She started to breathe hard. She extended her hand and placed it around his closed fists. "You've suffered enough, Kankuro-san. I guess… it's time for you to forgive yourself."

With this, Kankuro's knees got weak. He slumped down the ground with his bent down. He curled his fists madly and shut his eyes. "If… If I was just quick enough… if I was just strong enough… he wouldn't be in that state!" he shouted. "I should be the one there… not him!"

Hinata bent down to him and brushed his hair.

Suddenly, they heard soft sniffs from the guy. Droplets of tears fell down to the ground from Kankuro's covered eyes.

He was…

Crying.

It had been a long time since he cried. He thought that everything in him was already dead except for hatred. His emotions, his weaknesses… he thought they all faded away. For one year, he only sought for revenge. He forgot—he tried to forget his family.

His step sister…

His step brother…

He thought he was so over them.

But he stood corrected.

He was still longing for their presence. He wanted to see them again, hear their voices, see their smiles, and hug them like they used to do when they were little kids with uncle Yashamaru.

This girl was right. He was missing them badly.

"It's my fault… all my fault." He whispered.

"Let it all out, Kankuro-san. You've suffered enough… you have to forgive yourself." She repeated. "Remember, Gaara-kun never blamed you for everything."

"Shut up." Kankuro sniffed. "I don't need your sympathy." He said, still not lifting his head up.

"Everything happened for a reason. It's all under God's will. He sent Gaara-kun for you… to save you from the falling billboard. God wanted you to realize how much your brother loves you even though you're not really related by blood. Remember, God doesn't give challenges that we can't take on. And, he sent me to you… to bring you back to your family." Hinata said.

Kankuro chucked pathetically, "You're a weird girl…" he sniffed. "Even if want to tell the truth… no one will still believe me! Temari didn't even give me a single second. And she's my step sister for that matter! How could I make other people trust me again?" he slammed his knuckles on the floor.

Tears continued streaming down his cheeks, erasing the violet make-up on his face. "No one will believe me…" he said softly.

"I will."

Her words completely stunned Kankuro. His eyes went wide and slowly, he lifted his head up to meet the girl's eyes. Their gazes met. He felt the warmth instantly spread in his chest. He never expected—not even once—that someone would say those words to him.

"I will believe you, Kankuro-san." Hinata repeated. "I know… you love your brother. Since you were little kids, you cared for him deeply and treated him as your real brother even if you're not related at all. Same goes for Temari-senpai… she was not your real elder sister, right? You three are not related by blood… still, you lived a happy family with Yashamaru-san." She paused and smiled. "I know… you can't hurt Gaara-kun."

There was not reply from the lad. He was still staring at her with wide eyes.

"And if you're worried about them not accepting you… then don't be. Gaara-kun and Temari-senpai never got tired of waiting for you. You would give them priceless joy when you return to them." She added.

"What the heck?" Kankuro was finally able to find his words. He let his new tears freely stroke down his cheeks, not even wiping them. He hated to admit it, but… he felt lighter when he expressed his real feelings. For so long he had lied to himself that he didn't care for his family anymore. Now, this Hyuga girl comes and made him realize that he was just fooling himself all along. "I can't believe a girl like you is lecturing me."

"Well… you need one since you're blaming yourself too much." She smiled and stood up. "Forgive yourself… and start all over again."

Kankuro bent his head down and cried again. "I'll—try." He said between his sobs.

As Kankuro cried, Dozu and Zaku planned attacking again. They aimed for the girl, but were completely stopped by Naruto and Sasuke.

"You two… get the hell out of here before I break your bones." Sasuke glared.

With their boss being a wimp for the time-being, they decided to fall back. They were no match for the duo. Great team work in soccer, and even in fighting. They were no match for them.

And so, they ran like wimps.

* * *

><p>When the two nuisances were gone, Sasuke and Naruto made their way to the cry-baby Kankuro on the ground.<p>

"After everything I heard from Hinata… it's lame but… I believe you." Naruto stretched out a hand to him. "It was idiotic for Sasuke and me to beat you without even figuring out what happened that time. I know… even if I apologize, you won't be able to forgive me." He said. "Do whatever you want to me. Stab me, slit my throat, kick me, punch me, burn me, or anything, I don't care. Just… _Just _don't hurt Hinata and Sasuke anymore."

Both Sasuke and Hinata gave him a look.

"Naruto-kun…"

"_Bakero_. What do you think you're saying?" Sasuke raised his voice. "I'm at fault, too. Don't treat me like a weakling like everyone else. Kankuro, beat me up as long as you like."

"No! That can't happen!" Naruto protested. "_She_ would be lonely if _she_ saw you hurt. Your head is already injured… you can't go further than that anymore."

Sasuke frowned. "Who?"

It took a few seconds before Sasuke realized who Naruto meant by _she_. Of course, it was Sakura. Sakura! What time is it already? He took a good glance at his wrist watch and he was shocked to see what the time is.

3pm.

It was already 3pm, he's supposed to meet up with her at exactly 1:30pm. He was an hour and a half late.

"You have to go somewhere today, right?" Naruto said, "Go on. Don't make her wait anymore."

Sasuke wanted to leave to catch up with Sakura… but he can't just abandon Naruto that easily. After all that had occurred, he can't leave his best friend behind.

"I guess it's better to beat me up instead of that guy." Naruto told Kankuro. "Please… leave Sasuke and Hinata alone." He paused. "Beat me all you want."

"Wait—Naruto-kun… it shouldn't be that way." Hinata interrupted.

"It's fine, Hinata." Naruto looked at her. "I've done a huge mistake in Kankuro's life. I've ruined his career, his life and his relationship with his brother and sister. I need to be punished." He looked down and smirked ruefully. "Besides… no one would be lonely if I get hurt."

He then turned back to Kankuro and watched him slowly rise.

He stepped forward and shut his eyes. "I'm ready to accept anything."

"No! You're wrong, Naruto-kun!" Hinata raised her voice. "You're wrong… I—I…" it was hard for her to finish her statement. She wanted to tell him that he was not alone. She wanted to tell him that someone would be lonely if he gets hurt. And that _someone_ would be her.

Naruto turned back to Hinata and waited for her to finish what she wanted to say.

Hinata bent her head down and started fidgeting her fingers. "I… I…" she gulped hard. _'I don't want to see you get hurt anymore.'_ She wanted to say, but can't manage to.

Naruto gave her a confused look, waiting for her to continue. But, he felt a hand on his shoulder and it belonged to Kankuro.

"You owe that girl a lot. And I owe her, too." Kankuro said softly. He then walked pass the blonde-haired guy and to Hinata.

"_Arigato_." He whispered to her ear and he left.

"Eh?" Hinata lifted her head.

"Oi! Kankuro! Where are you going?" Naruto called.

Kankuro halted on his face. "Where else?" he said. "Home, of course." Then he waved a hand at the three and walked away.

"Then that means," Hinata spoke. "He's going back…" she added softly. A sigh of relief came out of her. "Thank God… Thank God."

"It seems like it." Sasuke said.

"Are we… forgiven?" Naruto asked.

"If we're not… then he's still here getting all crazy at us." Sasuke answered.

Naruto playfully scratched the back of his head and grinned. "I see. You're right, dattebayo." He then fell down the ground, massaging his aching knees. What a fight he had there.

Hinata quickly bent down for his aid. She brought out her handkerchief from her pocket and pressed it on Naruto's bruised cheek.

"Ouch!" Naruto whined.

"I'm sorry…" Hinata said.

Sasuke sighed at his best friend's childish attitude. Then, another glance at his watch, he can say that he's extremely late for his first ever date with Sakura.

Great. Just great.

What excuse could he make? His clothes were dirty, his everything looked filthy and haggard. His head was also bleeding! _Oh, for Pete's sake!_

It's like he got chased by bulls. He had to text her.

"Go on. This is a special day for you, right? Sorry to have it ruined and… thanks for your help." Naruto said.

"Yeah. Later." Sasuke said and quickly ran back to his sports car.

"Be careful on driving!" Naruto reminded.

Then, in a flash… the car drove away.

"Would Sasuke-kun be fine? He's injured…" Hinata asked concernedly.

"Yeah. He'll be fine. Today is an important day to him, after all." Naruto replied.

* * *

><p>Danzo's Café<p>

Sasuke arrived at the café at exactly 3.32pm. He saw no one with pink hair waiting for him at the round tables. What could he expect? He was late for two hours and two minutes in their first ever date in their relationship history. What a fool of an Uchiha he was. He felt crest-fallen, and he decided to leave the café. She was not there anymore, what could he just do? He just has to apologize and make it up to her as soon as possible.

"Sasuke-kun?" A familiar feminine voice called for his name.

He turned back to see who it was, and of course, he knew no body owned that voice but her.

His eyes were welcomed by innocent green orbs. "You came!" she smiled. She was wearing a pink apron of the café, it seemed that she was working as she waited for him for two hours. She quickly placed down the tray she was carrying and ran towards him swiftly. "What happened to you? You're bleeding…" she brought out her handkerchief and wiped the blood from his head.

Yeah, right. He totally forgot about his bleeding head.

"We need to get you medical attention!" Sakura said worriedly. "Sai-kun, do you have bandages there? Please, help Sasuke-kun."

"I think we have some left. Please hang on for a while." Sai calmly replied as he went back to look for some bandages.

"Geez. Where in the world did you go? Come… have a seat first. I'll give you some refreshments." Sakura said.

Sasuke accepted her offer, he sat down on the chair and rested. "You waited for me…" he said.

"Huh?" she gave him a look as she placed down the glass of cold juice.

"Sorry, I'm late… something just happened." Sasuke said.

Sakura sighed. "Apologize later. We need to take care of your wounds first. It's like you were chased by bulls… but, you better explain to me what had happened later, ok?" she said.

"Yeah. I will." Sasuke replied.

Then the supply of bandages and water came from Sai. Sakura drenched a piece of cloth in the water and wiped the blood. She immediately made use of the bandages and wrapped it around his head.

Naruto was correct… She sure will get sad if he was hurt.

* * *

><p>Naruto and Hinata were strolling down back to the hospital. She suddenly remembered that Ko would come to fetch her this afternoon. She had to look as normal as possible. A few more blocks, they'd be reaching the place.<p>

"Y-you don't have to send me back completely, Naruto-kun. You better go inside the hospital and get your wounds treated." Hinata said.

"No, it's fine. I'll do that later… I have to ensure he gets you safely." Naruto replied.

"But—"

"I insist."

His words silenced her effectively. Then, no one spoke.

A minute passed, then another, followed by another. Still, silence was there to occupy their worlds.

"Hey, I'm sorry." Naruto finally broke the ice.

Hinata looked at him, completely startled by his topic. "Eh?"

"I'm sorry I put you in danger again. Because of me… you had to experience something like that." He said.

"Don't worry…" Hinata shook her head. "I don't regret anything that has happened today. Everything was unexpected but… it's still under God's will." She paused. "Look… nothing bad happened to me at all. It's because God sent you and Sasuke-kun to help me. And, he sent me to make Kankuro-san realize that his family is still waiting for him. In the end, everything went well. " she said."God's plan went smoothly."

"Why do you always do that? Why do you keep relating God to every single thing?" Naruto frowned.

"Because it's true. God is related to everything. Starting from the smallest things in the world, up to the biggest things. Everything is under his will." Hinata replied. "That's what I believe."

Naruto secretly rolled his eyes. He somewhat knew that their conversation would get to _God's will_ again.

"And… Naruto-kun. I thank you because you came to save me." Once again, she gave him something that no one else could give him.

Her innocent smile.

All the burdens in his chest were removed. All the pains, all the sorrows, and all the bitterness. They're all removed by a single smile she made.

Somewhere deep inside him, he wanted to keep it all to himself. Her smile, that is.

He wanted to protect it… because for now, she's his only happiness.

TO BE CONTINUED.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

And they lived happily ever after. The end.

.

.

.

Just kidding! :)

Thank you for reading this chapter. Whew... I finished typing it for two hours because I was in a rush! I still need to work on a poem for my project.

Anyways, if you guys are wondering how long this fic would be... then I'm telling you that it's not yet ending soon. I'm still working on it in my draft(which already has 17 chapters), I'm estimating that it would reach more or less 30 chapters. I'm not an accurate person at all. ^_^"

Sooo... feel free to review! Thank you!

**VOCABULARY**

**Suna- Sand**

**Bakero- idiot; fool; big idiot; dumb**

**Yamete kuda sai- stop it already**

**Arigato- thank you**


	12. Chapter 12: DoublesPart I

**a/n:**

****And so... after 2 weeks, I finally updated! I sincerely apologize. Thank you for continuing to support my story.

here comes chapter 12, nyan~!(a phrase I've decided to use. It's from Code:Breaker... from Nyanmaru, a very cute cat which I adore so much.)

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 12: Doubles(Part 1)<strong>

It was 5pm when Hinata got back to the Hyuga household. Neji came down the stairs with a "not-so-pleased" look plastered on his face. He was expecting her to come home before 4pm, but what time was it again? An hour after four.

A sermon.

A sermon from the prodigy definitely awaits her. But, she was not in the mood to hear him out. For the moment, she just had to apologize and go straight to her room. Rest now, lecture later. After all what happened, she definitely needs a time out.

"Hinata, I'm relieved to see you home." Neji began.

With those words, she could predict that the sermon would last for about an hour so she had to make her big escape before she suffers the consequences.

"What took you so long? It's late, you shouldn't be out at this kind of time. It's harmful for your—"

"_Gomenasai!_" Hinata quickly interrupted the starting point of the lecture. She's drained and she didn't know if she could go further than this. "I just need to drop by the flower shop to buy new flowers for our garden. Ko is working on it already… so, I'll just have to go to my room and rest. It was a tough day for me." She briefly explained. No way she would tell him about the danger she faced, well, she did come by the flower shop before heading home.

"I see." Neji seemed convinced. "I wanted to ask what the doctor told you, but I guess I should let you rest for now. By the way, Hanabi is waiting for you in your room. She came in place of Hiashi-sama."

Hinata smiled. "_Hai._" She gave him a quick bow before climbing up the stairs. When she entered her room, just like what Neji said, Hanabi was there to give her a warm welcome.

"_Nee-chan!" _Before Hinata knew it, she was attacked by the ultimate bear hug of her sister.

"Hanabi!" Hinata giggled and hugged back. "I missed you."

"I miss you more!" Hanabi exclaimed. After several seconds, they finally decided to let go of each other.

"I'm glad you came. How's father?" Hinata asked.

"He's fine. You know what, he's really upset 'cause he couldn't make it today due to an emergency meeting. But he said he would pay a visit soon, just wait." Hanabi grinned.

"Oh… I see." Hinata felt relieved. She sat down on her bed and removed her jacket.

Hanabi sat on the cushion. "So, what happened today? How was the check-up? Can you tell me what Minato-san told you?" she asked with glittery eyes.

"Yeah, sure." Hinata replied absentmindedly.

"Then what is it?" Hanabi got excited. "Is he going to pay a visit soon? Does he want to see me? Err… I-I mean…" Hanabi stammered. "How was your check-up? Something happened?"

Hinata unbuttoned her shirt and changed back to her white sweater. All of a sudden, she remembered everything that has happened this afternoon. How Naruto ended up saving her and protecting her from harm, she could remember it all clearly. It's not that she doesn't acknowledge Sasuke's efforts in saving her, too. It's just that… she couldn't believe that Naruto was willing to protect her. Well, same goes for Sasuke. But when it comes with Naruto… Naruto was _more_. It felt so different. She could still feel the tightness of his arms around her, she could still hear his fast heartbeat in his hard bound chest, and she could still see the determined look on his eyes. It's as if he was with her right now. But, obviously, he's not.

"_Nee-chan_, OOOIII." Hanabi waved a hand in front of her daydreaming sister.

Hinata went back to her senses. "Y-yes?" she blinked innocently.

"I just asked about your check-up today." Hanabi placed her hands on her hips. "And what's with you? You fell silent all of a sudden in the middle of our conversation. What were you thinking?"

"Oh… umm… nothing at all." Hinata giggled weakly. "Nothing happened at all."

She suddenly felt guilty for saying that. Naruto just _saved_ her life, and she said that it was just _NOTHING_.

Hanabi leaned closer to her. "Nothing definitely means something. Come on. Tell me!" she insisted.

Hinata sighed in defeat. Lying was never her specialty after all. She felt bad for lying to Neji and Ko, and she couldn't take it anymore if she even lied to Hanabi. In the end, she told everything to her younger sister. Starting from the new cup cake products from the pastry store, up to when Naruto accompanied her as she waited for Ko.

Hanabi fell back to the cushion and massaged her temples. "I can't believe it. That guy again?"

"That guy? He has a name. He's called Naruto-kun." Hinata defended the guy again.

"I don't care." Hanabi slightly rose from her seat. "Neji-ni-san… does Neji-ni-san know about this?"

Hinata answered a negative.

Hanabi sighed. "Why? That guy—Naruto." She corrected herself. Not wanting to let her sister correct her again for rude addressing. "He put you in danger twice. You have to stay away from him."

"Hanabi… Naruto-kun came to save me. You better not judge him since you don't know him that well." She scolded her younger sister.

Hanabi casually leaned on the cushion. "Sure, yeah, he saved you. But think of it… would that "saving operation" happen if you had stayed away from him in the first place? Would you encounter that kind of horrible experience if you stayed away from him? Of course the answer is obvious." She said. "Nothing bad would have happened. None of this."

"I… I know that." Hinata answered. "But… there must be a reason, Hanabi. There must be a reason why all of this happened. There must be a message that God wanted to tell me or tell us."

There it is. It came. Hanabi expected it to come.

The God' will.

"You lied to Neji-ni-san once. Are you going to hide this one from him again? We've got to tell this to him."

"No… please, Hanabi. We don't have to tell him… _Ni-san_ gave Naruto-kun a chance. I don't want that one chance to get away. I want to spend more time with Naruto-kun and I need to help him since… he's still lost in his dark world."

Hanabi rolled her eyes. "Despite of the danger he dragged you in, you still want to help him? You're insane! I'm definitely telling this to dad and Neji-ni-san." She stood up and got ready to leave the room.

Hinata grabbed for her hand. "No, please. Don't do this, Hanabi. Just keep it a secret. I-I'll be the one to tell them… just give me more time. I'll tell them soon. But, for now, please never mention anything about this to anyone." She begged. "I promise that this will never happen again. I will take Ko wherever I go so you won't have to worry about my safety. Just please… keep this a secret."

Hanabi wanted to protest, of course. But… she had to let it go this time once again. She must give the throne to her elder sister.

"I don't know if I'm doing the right thing or not." She sighed. "But, all right. I'll keep your secret. And… this is the last one, got it? I can't keep hiding your secrets anymore. There are too many of them! Next time something like this happens, you won't ever stop me on telling it to Neji-ni-san and father."

Hinata nodded in response. "Thank you, Hanabi."

* * *

><p>Naruto sneezed loudly. It felt like someone was talking about him just now. He was sitting on the waiting area of the hospital again, and the door beside him had a sign that read <em>"Minato Namikaze, Cardiologist<em>". Since he dropped off Hinata at the front of the hospital, he decided to pay a visit and have his wounds treated by the nurses. Now, he looked like a mummy again because of the linens and bandages plastered around him.

After a couple of minutes, Minato finally went out of his office. He locked his door and turned to the damaged Naruto.

"You got into a fight." Minato said in a somewhat scolding tone.

Naruto avoided the gaze. "I did not. I fell off the stairs." He simply reasoned out, which was an obvious lie. He was telling the truth, though. He did not get into a fight. He didn't even fight back to those three idiots. He didn't throw a single punch or a single kick for his defense. He was the nice guy who accepted all the attacks of his enemies without fighting back. Now that he thought of it, why didn't he fight back? That was not him. What just happened?

Oh. That's right.

_Violence is not the answer to your problems._

That was the new thing he learned from Priestess Hinata. He chose not to be violent.

So, that was not a fight, right? A fight is a bare-hand combat between two persons. In his case earlier, it was three against one, make Hinata invisible since she's not a dude who could kick some ass. Still if she was to include, the enemies still outnumbered them. That was not you call a fight… that was bullying.

As if he would tell that to Minato. So, he came up with the excuse that he fell down the stairs, which was a less lame excuse.

But, Minato didn't seem convinced. He still had that skeptical look as if telling Naruto to spit it out.

Naruto gulped hard and began sweating. Since when did it get hot in an air-conditioned hospital? And what's more? It was cold sweat.

"I demand a better explanation. How did you fall down? And when? And where? In the house?" Minato asked him overlapping questions.

"Whoa. Whoa. One at a time. Why are you suddenly getting all hyper?" Naruto frowned. "Are you my father or something?"

Upon hearing Naruto's last statement, Minato looked like as if air was pulled out from him.

The lad hadn't notice the doctor's reactions. "At the park. I wasn't looking to where I was going. I accidentally stepped on my foot and I out-balanced then there, stairs welcomed me. I fell down." He knew his excuse sounded pathetic but, it's a little better telling that than he was bullied.

Minato didn't respond. He was just silently looking at the ground with a slightly depressed expression.

Naruto blinked curiously. "Hey… you ok?" he asked.

Minato quickly snapped out of it. "Y-yeah. Anyways, you should be careful next time. Don't get into fights again or else, you'll be grounded." He then turned away.

"Wait, what?" Naruto said in awe. Did he hear the doctor right? Was he just threatened that he would be grounded?

Yep. That's what he heard.

He then followed the doctor. As he was walking along the hallways, a painful reminder suddenly occurred in his mind. He slapped his forehead and cursed under his breath.

"The motorcycle and the pastry store…"

He is so gonna get it from the perverted old man.

How could he forget them both?

* * *

><p>"Sorry. Sorry about today." Sasuke said as he drove the road with Sakura.<p>

"Eh?" Sakura faced him.

"Well… our date ended up in the hospital for almost an hour. And… we weren't able to tour around so much. And… it's a disaster." Sasuke said embarrassingly, still, there was his signature cool voice.

Sakura giggled. "You're thinking about that?"

Sasuke gave her a glare. "Why are you laughing?"

"Sorry, my bad." She managed to stop. She then looked at Sasuke, who was really frustrated by the result of their date.

"Next time… It won't be like this." He swore.

Sakura felt her heart jump without her permission. She could really feel how much Sasuke wanted this day to be special. He thought that she didn't enjoy herself but he got it all wrong. She was happy. Very happy. This was the best day of her life, for his information.

"I'm looking forward for our next date." She smiled. "But if you really regret being late earlier, you have to do everything I tell you, okay?"

Sasuke eyed her. Somehow, he felt something was not right here. Girls always had brilliant yet threatening ideas.

"Yeah." He tried to sound cool.

"Very good." She leaned closer to him and kissed him on his cheeks.

This made Sasuke blush a little. No—the term is not a appropriate. This made him blush a lot. He hated to admit that she caught him off-guard… he hated to admit that he somewhat liked it.

"_B-baka_!" he said.

Sakura giggled again. "You're so cute, Sasuke-kun! You know what… I had a very great time today." She said. "It's true that you were late in our first ever date but… showing yourself to me is enough. I'm glad you made time for me even though you had a very busy schedule these past days. I really am thankful for that. Somehow, I can feel that even for a little… I have a small spot in your heart." She directly stared at his apathetic eyes. "I have always wanted that to happen."

Sasuke hit the breaks and parked the car at the side. In a blink of an eye, his lips were on top of hers.

Sakura was caught off-guard there. Instead of pushing him away, she just kissed back and felt the warmth of his soft lips.

* * *

><p>Monday. The start of a new school week.<p>

Naruto didn't want to remember what had happened to him this morning before coming to school _late._ He was ten minutes late for the soccer practice, the mad coach made him clean all the balls and weed grasses on the field, Kiba laughed at him like there's no tomorrow, Sasuke acted as if he didn't know him, he ended up not participating at the practice. All he did was wiping the balls and weed the grasses.

Kiba tackled him from behind. "Nice going, ace player!" he teased.

"Go away. I don't want to talk to anyone. Especially to you." Naruto said.

"Why are you so grumpy today? Is it because Asuma-kaichou made you do a beginner's job? Well… you deserve it. He told us not to be late these days but, what did you do? The ace player was late for ten minutes!" Kiba laughed. "What a great model for the new members!" he clapped.

Naruto's eyebrows twitched. He tried his best to ignore those foolish comments from the annoying Kiba.

"Whoa, where did you get those?" Kiba pointed out Naruto's bandages. "You got into a fight again, didn't you?"

How nice of the dog boy. After an hour of practice, now he noticed Naruto's injuries.

"I fell off the stairs." Was the usual great lame excuse Naruto made.

"Same pathetic excuse the Uchiha made. You two really are best friends, aren't you? Even with the lamest things, you two get along." Kiba laughed again. "Then don't tell me if you don't want to."

Naruto eyed Kiba skeptically. _'Go on. Laugh as long as you want. When I'm through this, I'm so gonna get you.'_

But, he did tell the truth to Kiba. He did fall down the stairs. But no way in hell he would tell him how it _all _happened.

Because…

* * *

><p>"<em>Kindly repeat that again, Naruto?" with a gentle yet threatening voice, Jiraiya spoke to his most beloved grandson as he was having his coffee in his bed room. He just got back from a trip.<em>

_Naruto vaguely scratched the back of his head. "Well… you know," he gulped hard. "Like what I said earlier, I wasn't able to get your orders from the pastry store because I left the motorcycle in the middle of the road. When I was searching for the motorcycle, I didn't pay attention to my footing so I accidentally fell down the stairs. I went to the hospital to have my wounds treated."_

_After taking one sip at his coffee, Jiraiya placed the cup on his tray. "You decided to go to the hospital to treat your wound. That's good. Then?"_

"_Minato-san and I… went home after his shift." Naruto answered._

"_I see… When you got home, what else is with you and Minato?" Jiraiya gripped on the cup's handle as if to calm himself down._

"_What else is with us? Umm… well, Minato-san, his briefcase, his car, me… and nothing else."Naruto laughed weakly._

"_Nothing else?" Jiraiya smiled._

"_Yes. Nothing else." Naruto nodded. He started to take a step back away from his grandfather's bed._

"_Nothing else is it?" the old man repeated._

"_N-nothing else, dattebayo." Naruto gulped._

"_No cupcakes from the store and no motorcycle." Jiraiya said._

"_Y-yah. Sort of…" Naruto shrugged._

_CRACK._

_The handle of the cup broke. That's when Naruto decided to run away._

"_YOU NO-GOOD GRANDSON!" _

_The old man yelled that it disturbed everyone in the mansion. He threw the remaining cups at his beloved grandson before the lad could completely escape._

_Luckily, Naruto was able to dodge all the massive attacks from the grumpy old man. But, Jiraiya was not a quitter. The gramps was following him all along the hallways._

"_IDIOT! FOOL! DUMBASS! WHO WOULD FORGET THEIR OWN MOTORCYCLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD? AND… WHO THE HECK WOULD LEAVE THEIR OWN MOTORCYCLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD?"_

_A vase was thrown to Naruto this time. It's a good thing that he had mad dodging skills._

"_Get back here!"_

"_As if I would!" He crossed the aisle, dodged another attack from Jiraiya. It was a picture frame this time._

"_You… Tsunade asked me to order those new products! I'd be killed if she found this out!"_

"_You deserve that for going to the hostess club several nights ago!"_

"_SHUT UP! It's all your fault. And even the motorcycle… YOU'RE SUCH AN IDIOT!"_

_They ran passed the hallways and caused some shaking in the mansion. But the maids and butlers paid no attention to the grandfather-grandson chase since they were already used to it._

"_They're going at it again." One maid commented._

"_Let them be. You know what they say; the fruits came from the roots." Another said._

_Naruto continued running. He saw the stairs. A maid wiping the stairs. Minato walking at the same floor as him. He quickly got passed Minato, then he ran down the stairs. Without paying much attention with his steps, his left foot was stuck inside the bucket of water._

_He fell down. Face first. It damn hurt._

"_Ha! You have nowhere to go!" Jiraiya exclaimed. He was planning on jumping down the 20-steps stairwell._

_Just in time, Minato was able to pull him._

"_That's dangerous, sensei. You should watch out for your body." Minato warned._

"_Let me go!" Jiraiya protested._

"_That's right! Watch out for your body! You're getting OOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLDDDDDDDDDD!" Naruto was able to stand up from his spot. He kicked away the bucket beneath his foot and then continued escaping._

"_BAKAMONO!" Jiraiya shouted as loud as hell._

* * *

><p>That was the great history. So, there's no way in hell Naruto would tell Kiba all about that.<p>

When they decided to go back to the school building, they saw a girl walking at the junior's section hallway alone. It was the fair Hyuga daughter. She was not with the long-haired jerk this morning. How lucky.

"Lucky… Hinata!" Kiba gladly called for her.

The girl timidly turned to them. As usual, she showed respect and gave them a polite bow.

"Good morning." Hinata greeted.

Before completely talking to her, Kiba searched around the area to ensure that the "coast is clear". No signs of Neji around. The coast is clear. It's safe to talk to her.

"Can you help me later, Hinata? I'm sort of having problems again with the Chemistry lesson last time." Kiba said.

"Sure. Which part were you having problems catching up?" Hinata asked.

"Balancing the compounds… I just can't understand it." Kiba complained. Of course, he was just putting on an act. He never had problems with that lesson.

"All right. I shall help you later." Hinata smiled.

Kiba's eyes sparkled in admiration. "Really? Thank you! You're my angel… I owe you a lot!" he instinctively grabbed her soft hands.

Of course, this made the girl's face turn tomato red.

'_This guy…' _Naruto mentally curse Kiba. He wanted to kick the guy's butt. But, no. Not in front of Hinata. Maybe he'll teach the Inuzuka son a lesson later. But… why was he getting pissed off all of a sudden? Kiba was just grateful for having Hinata teach him the balancing of compounds. He just held her hands, nothing's wrong with that. It's just gratitude. Obligation. Appreciation. Friendship. Nothing else. So… why did he have to feel so pissed?

She's not his **girlfriend** or anything.

Hinata broke free of Kiba's grasp. Then her attention was drawn to Naruto.

When her pale eyes met his blue eyes, they both avoided gazes. Hinata blushed even harder, she quickly said her farewell and she was gone like the wind.

"What's with that? I wasn't done talking to her, yet." Kiba wondered. Then he faced Naruto, "Hey. Why is your face so red?" he asked with a frown.

That startled the blonde-haired guy. "I-It's not!" he defended his pride. He then walked ahead of Kiba before he gets more teases from him. He knew to himself, he really was blushing. Of course, a guy like him won't easily admit that.

"Naruto. About what I told you last time…" Kiba spoke in a serious tone that made Naruto halt for a second. "I'm telling you again, I'm serious."

Naruto wondered about the sudden change of mood. He about-faced and gave Kiba a look, who was talking about things out of the blue.

"I'm serious." Kiba walked towards Naruto. "I'm telling you. I'm serious." He repeated once again, and he was walking ahead Naruto.

The Uzumaki watched Kiba walk forward. He blinked his eyes several times, trying to comprehend what the guy was talking about. "Serious about what?" he said in a low voice.

It seemed he didn't have any ideas at all that what Kiba was talking about was his feelings for the Hyuga girl.

* * *

><p><em>DING DONG DING DONG<em>

"Okay, everyone back to your seats." Kakashi, the homeroom teacher entered the classroom. He placed down his class record on his table and gathered the students' attentions.

"The principal called for a meeting last Friday. Since it's already fall, we have decided to talk about the Christmas events. It's almost the same as last year, though there are few changes in the schedule. But, it may be a lot of change for our class. Tsunade-sama assigned our class for the winter play." He announced. "The play will be held the same date of the Christmas party. Let's just say it's the main event this season."

"Eeeh?"

"But why our class?"

"You have got to be kidding me."

"Too troublesome." came from Shikamaru.

Several complaints were shot back to Kakashi. But rules are rules. Who would have the guts to oppose the mighty Tsunade's decision for the school?

"Stop complaining like babies. The play will be directed by one of your classmates. Your selected director will be helped by your literature teacher, Mitarashi Anko-sensei. I was given the honor to choose the characters. No complaining once I made my mind on picking you."

Ino stood up from her seat and clasped her hands. "I would be honored to be the director of the play! I volunteer. Please, sensei! I will do my best!" she exclaimed.

Kakashi listed down the Yamanaka's name in a heartbeat. "All right, then the director's decided. I just have to find the lead roles."

"What's the story all about, sensei?"

"I can't tell yet. Anko-sensei said she would be the one to tell the participants since she can't trust me if I got the plot correctly." Kakashi replied.

The class laughed. Yeah, right. What would a chemistry teacher know about a drama? All this teacher cared about was reading his weird perverted book called "ICHA-ICHA PARADISE".

"But, who are the lead roles for this?" Ten-ten asked.

"Well… I haven't decided yet. But, I have a few people in my mind." Kakashi cupped his chin. He then silently eyed on his unsure chosen persons. Starting from Uchiha Sasuke, who was not even paying attention to what they were discussing, then to Hyuga Hinata, who was busy writing something on her notebook, lastly, to Uzumaki Naruto, whose eyes were hardly focused on Inuzuka Kiba.

Those three were his choices, but only two has to be chosen for the lead role. One boy and one girl, so Hinata's decided. He just has to think deeply of the two guys.

"I think I'll announce the protagonists next week. Ino, do meet up with Anko-sensei after class. I've already given her the list of the supporting roles. Just wait longer for the lead roles."

"Yes, sir!" Ino answered enthusiastically.

"That's all for this drama play. Let's go back to the world of chemistry." Kakashi then started writing on the board their new lesson for today.

Naruto lazily pulled out his chemistry notebook and flipped it to the latest page. He was sitting right beside Kiba, who was sitting behind Hinata. He exchanged seats with Sakura since the pink-haired kunoichi owned the seat beside Kiba. She was now at the back, sitting beside Sasuke which was Naruto's original place. He just can't let the dog boy flirt with Hinata all day. The innocent girl doesn't even have any idea about it!

"What's that idiot doing?" Sasuke mumbled as he watched Naruto's foolish moves.

Sakura giggled softly. "I guess he made himself a new friend. Hinata is quite adorable, maybe Naruto can't resist her charms."

"You think so? He's been glaring at Kiba. Not Hyuga Hinata." Sasuke said.

Sakura shot her boyfriend a side glance. "You're quite slow too, Sasuke-kun. Of course I can see that Naruto is glaring intensely at Kiba the whole time. Hinata is the reason why. I can sense why he exchanged seats with me and it's all because of her. He wanted to keep a closer look on her since Kiba' starting his moves."

"Is that so?"

"Why got a problem with that? You don't trust my hunch?"

"All right. You win."

Sakura frowned. "Hey. It's not a competition!"

Sasuke leaned his right elbow on his desk, and he hung his left arm on the back of his chair. "You still don't know a lot of things between those two, do you?"

She blinked her green eyes. "What do you mean?"

"They already knew each other before Hyuga Hinata transferred to this school. They met at the yacht." He answered.

Sakura wanted to scream, but classes have started. She had to cover her mouth to prevent it all from coming out. "Y-You mean… she's the special person that you were talking about that Naruto met?" she said in a low voice.

"Yeah."

"Gosh! This is brilliant. I only thought that Naruto saved her from Kankuro because he liked her. Now, I can think that Naruto protected her from Kankuro because he liked her even more!" she squeaked.

Sasuke gave her a blank glare. "What?" he said in confusion.

Sakura clenched her fists. "Now, I have the perfect plan!"

"Haruno Sakura! Uchiha Sasuke! What are you two babbling about back there? Come and balance this compound." Kakashi scolded.

"Y-yes!" Sakura stood up clumsily.

* * *

><p>11.58 am. Just two more minutes to go before the bell rings for the lunch break. It was the most boring subject of the day, which was History, and the great teacher was named Ebizu.<p>

TAP. TAP. TAP.

Sakura was getting impatient by the wall clock's slow ticking. She's been tapping her mechanical pen for about one hundred times, still, she felt that the hands of the clock never moved. It felt like years for it to move to twelve.

A second passed by. Then another, followed by another.

TAP. TAP. TAP.

"So boring…" Sakura mumbled.

11.59 am.

One more minute, then it 's lunch time!

The history teacher continued the discussing the lesson on his own. Not only Sakura, but everyone in the class was having a hard time listening to his lectures. He speaks so fast, he just reads the textbook, he doesn't expand the information, and he continues with the next lesson. That's how great Ebizu was. He had potential on being an excellent teacher, but he's very lazy and kind of… perverted.

Sakura never liked him. All of them never liked him. That's why no one pays attention to him.

Actually, not everyone. There was one person who kept listening to him, and who never got tired of his voice.

Hyuga Hinata.

That girl sure was something. Even the most popular guy, Uchiha Sasuke was not even giving Ebizu a second of attention. But, Hinata… she was the only one who kept listening to that scrap teacher. She was far too kind to be deserved by anyone. Sakura could easily conclude that.

_DING DONG DING DONG_

The school bell finally rang for goodness' sake!

Without even listening to Ebizu's farewell, Sakura stood up from her seat and snatched Hinata. In a flash, they were out of the room.

"What the-" Naruto blinked in surprise.

* * *

><p>Sakura tried to catch her breath from the marathon she just experienced. She and Hinata were now alone in a very quiet and abandoned area of the school building. Time for the serious business.<p>

"Hinata." Sakura regained her poise, still she was breathing hard. What came in her mind to just run so fast? She could just talk with Hinata in the classroom. And why did she even carry her here? She could tell it all to Hinata in the classroom.

In the end, she was the only one who got tired.

Oh, never mind.

"I have a favor to ask you." Sakura began.

"Um… what does Sakura-san want?" Hinata asked.

"Sasuke-kun and I are planning to have another date this Saturday. It's a make-up date for last time that Kankuro ruined. You know, he helped Naruto's butt back there and ended up being late. So… I wanted it to be a double date this time. Of course the couples are Sasuke-kun and me… and the other couple is Naruto and you." She said.

"E-eh?" Hinata sounded shocked.

Sakura reached for her soft hands and clasped them between her palms. "Please… I beg of you. Do come at the amusement park this Saturday." She pleaded.

"F-for what reason is it?" Hinata asked curiously. "O-of course, I'll go. If you find me helpful…"

"Really? Thank you!" Sakura glomped her. "You're truly an angel!"

Hinata blushed on Sakura's actions.

The pink-haired girl finally planned to release her. "Sorry, sorry." She said. "I just got carried away because of your kindness."

"It's all right," Hinata replied. "May I ask… why did you pick me to be Naruto-kun's partner on your double date? There are still many girls that are more suitable for him so—"

"NO! There aren't any girls suitable for him in that date. Only you. Only the girl standing in front of me. Only Hyuga Hinata!" she quickly interrupted the maiden's words with her loud voice.

The dark-haired girl took a step back, completely surprised by Sakura's sudden behavior.

"Anyways, we have to make sure that this date will be successful." Sakura clenched her fist. "Actually, I'm not doing this for myself. I'm doing this for Naruto and Sasuke-kun."

"Eh? Y-you mean they…" Hinata blushed by the conclusion occurred in her mind.

Sakura began waving nervously in front of Hinata. "N-no! That's not it. I-it's nothing like that, geez! They only see each other as best friends! No more. Got that?" she defended.

Hinata looked down and played with her fingers. "S-sorry." She was so embarrassed of how she thought of the two guys. Thinking that they like each other… what has gotten into her? "Please continue with your explanation."

"All right then… where was I?" Sakura started to think back. "Oh, that's right. This date is for Sasuke-kun and Naruto. We have to make this a success since Sasuke-kun is—"

She looked down.

"Sasuke-kun is leaving soon."

"Leaving… soon?"

Sakura nodded weakly. "You see... he's finding it really difficult to tell Naruto all about it. And he's running out of time. So, I've decided to lend him a hand. Those two… they don't know about this plan. Please, never mention anything about this to them. I-I know I can trust you that's why I picked you to be with Naruto. I'm really thankful for your cooperation."

"I can feel that you really care for your best friends. Of course, it would be my pleasure to help you." Hinata smiled.

"Thank you, Hinata. You really are a nice person." Sakura smiled back, "No wonder Naruto quickly fell for you." She whispered.

Hinata blinked cutely. Not clearly hearing what Sakura mumbled.

"Oh, nothing! Come on. Let's go back to the classroom."

* * *

><p>Naruto sighed lazily on his desk. His elbows were on top of his table, his chin between his palms, and his eyes glued on Hinata's empty seat. It was ten minutes after twelve o'clock, Sakura and Hinata still haven't returned. He can't help but be puzzled by what Sakura needed from the maiden.<p>

"Why am I even thinking of that?" He mumbled.

"Thinking of what?" A deep voice distracted him from behind.

Naruto nearly lost his balance due to Sasuke's abrupt interruption. "What do you need?" he blurted.

"This Saturday, come to the amusement park at 10.00am. Don't be late. Sakura will kill you." Sasuke said straightly and walked pass Naruto.

Naruto was left in the room with a frown. "Amusement park?" he talked to himself.

A new puzzle entered his mind. Out of the blue, Sasuke asked him to come to the amusement park. The Uchiha never liked that sort of crowded place. Now, why was he suddenly invited to go there? And with Sakura? What's with that?

_OOOH. Sakura_.

He could now figure out why Sasuke asked him to go to the amusement park.

It was a **punishment** from Sakura.

TO BE CONTINUED.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

done! :) thanks for reading. Review please!

By the way... It's my birthday today. Happy birthday to me! ^^

**Vocabulary**

**Gomenasai- I'm sorry; I apologize**

**Hai- Yes**

**Baka- Idiot; fool; dumb**

**Bakamono- a much offensive word for "baka"**


	13. Chapter 13: Doubles Part II

**a/n:**

First of all... I am so sorry for not updating in weeks! I have no excuses... I sincerely apologize. TT^TT I did my best to finish typing this chapter the whole day so I could update. I am such a bad author.

Thank you for all the reviews in the previous chapter. (I just read them all now...)

Here's chapter 13, enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 13: Doubles(Part II)<strong>

It was 9.45am in the Uzumaki Household, Uzumaki Naruto was standing in front of the mirror fixing—ruffling his spiky hair even more. He wore a black shirt, loose jeans, and leather shoes settled his footing. A silver vest waited on his couch as he continued preparing himself for a day-outing at the amusement park. After a minute or so, he was finally finished. He made his way to the couch and wore his cool orange vest and he was out of his room.

When Naruto locked his door, he was seen by the new housemate named Namikaze Minato. The doctor's room was just few steps away from Naruto's room so they normally see each other every morning. Naruto knows when Minato goes out and vice-versa.

"Going out?" Minato asked.

"Yeah." Naruto answered as he kept his keys in his pocket.

Minato gave the lad a naughty smirk. "Let me guess, it's a date… am I right?"

Naruto's eyebrows twitched. "N-NO! I-it's nothing like that!" he defended his pride. He felt majorly disgusted thinking that _SASUKE _was the one who asked him to come to the amusement park just for a date. That shall never ever happen in his **entire **life!

"A-anyways, I'd be home late. Please tell gramps that I'll be coming home late when he gets back."

"Hmmm, then who's the girl?" Minato teased.

"I'm telling you, IT'S NOT A DATE!" Naruto protested.

Still, Minato didn't give up. "Well, should I ask Jiraiya-sensei to narrate the events to Tsunade-san? Starting from the motorcycle up to the cup cakes." He asked.

Naruto panicked. "No! Don't! Anything but that!" then he was shot a glare by the doctor as if telling him to spit out the truth.

"Her name is Hinata! Clear now? Just please don't tell anything to Tsunade-no-baa-chan!" he was forced to say.

"Hinata?" Minato frowned.

"Yes. That's her name. Hyuuga Hinata. Are you happy now? If you would excuse me, I have a schedule to keep." Naruto swiftly walked away from the man to avoid further questions. He had no idea why he told Minato that Hinata was his date. It's just that he couldn't think of a girl's name in the instant and her name sort of came out instinctively from his mouth. So, that's what he told Minato. He used her name to get out of this weird conversation. Hinata wasn't his date, at all! He just made it up just for his benefits. It was way too lame if he told that he was going out to meet up with Uchiha Sasuke. And so, Hinata was used to protect his cool nature.

What a jerk he is.

Minato watched Naruto walk down the stairs in a huff. He had that concerned look on his eyes. Like a parent worrying about his child. He really is Naruto's father, though… the lad had no clue about it.

"So… she was the one." Minato whispered to himself.

"She was the girl whom he likes."

* * *

><p>At exactly 10.00am, Naruto arrived in front of the amusement park. Sasuke was already there, waiting for the others to show up. The Uchiha wore a dark blue hunk shirt, and black pants. On top of his shirt was a black hoody jacket. And as usual, he looked cool. Girls passing by were squeaking dreamily at him. But you know what kind of guy Sasuke was. Best described as the <strong>ice prince.<strong>

Naruto approached him and said, "Hey,"

"Hn." Was the ever monosyllabic reply of the cool dude.

"Sakura-chan isn't here yet… Why did she have to call us here in the first place? Don't you hate the amusement park?"

Sasuke shrugged. "Dunno." Was the cold answer to his question. At least, he answered.

"Is that true? You don't know?"

Sasuke nodded.

Naruto gave him a look. "Sure? You're not going to make a fool out of me?"

"You're getting annoying."

"Just as I thought! It's a set-up, right? You told Sakura-chan that I was the cause why you were late on your first date so you dragged me here to share the punishment you'll receive from her!"

"What the hell? Why do you think that?"

"Because it's suspicious!"

"Like I told you, I have nothing to do with this. Then ask her, this was her plan."

"Why here?"

"I said I don't know."

"But you're her boyfriend! You should know!"

"She keeps her mouth shut about it."

The back-and-forth argument continued. Finally, it was stopped by the great heroine, Haruno Sakura. Her presence was enough to stop the two boys' argument, and she had no idea that it was her whom they were talking about. Nevertheless, the fight was stopped, they both turned to the newcomer.

Sakura waved a hand to Naruto and Sasuke. She was wearing a pink dress with a green-flower patterned, cotton jacket. Her short hair was tied into two low pigtails and her white bag hanged on her right shoulder.

Naruto first looked at the pink-haired kunoichi, and then his whole attention was devoted to the girl's other companion. Apparently, he could obviously see that Sakura didn't come here alone. She was accompanied by a fair-skinned girl with dark blue _hime _style haircut.

That was the least person he expected to see this day, yet she was there, making her way towards them.

Talk about lame excuses, white lies, intelligent defense, to be sarcastic.

Who could possibly tell that lame excuses and white lies appeared to be true after a moment?

"Sorry for being a little late. I had a hard time arguing with her cousin, but everything's fine now." Sakura said.

"We just got here." Sasuke replied. "_Ikezou_."

"Okay!" Sakura said and freely clung at Sasuke's arm. They both walked ahead Naruto and entered the amusement park. As they walked, Sakura gave the blonde-haired guy an intense glare as if saying "_Don't mess up!" _

Seriously, why does he always get those kind of glares? He also received that from Coach Azuma, his grandfather and now… from Sakura. Why do they keep doing that? Good blame. Shouldn't he just ask himself what was wrong with him?

"_A..ano…_"

A soft angelic voice interrupted his thoughts. He turned vaguely to the girl, completely lost in the current situation.

"Let's have fun today, Naruto-kun." Hinata smiled with a faint shade of redness on her cheeks.

"A-ah." Naruto answered unsurely. "Come on. Sakura-chan and Sasuke are waiting for us. W-we should follow them." He couldn't believe that he was stammering in front of a girl.

He couldn't help himself but feel shameful.

The innocent girl followed him shyly behind.

Wait. Something was wrong with this situation. Why was he letting her walk behind him and follow him around? Hinata was his date for today, not his assistant! He should make her feel that. So, he halted on his steps, quite sure on what he was planning to do.

"Here."

He offered a hand to her.

"Give me your hand so… you won't fall back." He said shyly. He tried to keep his face turned away from her for she won't notice his lame red cheeks.

Hinata blushed harder. Without saying anything, she absentmindedly gave her hand to Naruto. And together, they walked towards the other pair.

It felt good. The touch of her hand, that is. The smooth texture of her skin, the softness of her palm, the warmth of her finger tips… they all felt so good. Compared to his own, her hands were too pure and clean unlike his rough and filthy ones. Not literally filthy, though. It's just that, was he in the right state to take a hold of her hand?

Hold on. Where did that come from? All of a sudden, why was he thinking that? It's just… holding hands. Not a big deal. This was a date after all.

So holding her hand would be natural.

It seemed that this one turned out to be not a lie for Naruto. _He _unintentionally told the truth to Minato.

Hinata was his date.

* * *

><p>"Look over there, Hinata! Isn't that cute?" Sakura pulled her closer as she pointed a stuff toy which was in a form of a pig at the <em>shoot-what-you-want<em> booth. "Come on, guys. Let's play on this one! That cute little pig looks exactly like Tsunade-kochou's pet, Ton-ton."

Of course, the boys had no choice but to obey her command.

Sasuke handed his payment to the store owner, and he was given three tries. He stood firmly at the shooting area and aimed accurately at the stuff toy that Sakura wanted to get. Once he found a comfortable pace, he threw the ball towards the column of prizes, and as expected, in one try he was able to hit the toy.

"_Yatta!_ You're so cool, Sasuke-kun!" Sakura exclaimed.

"Here you go, sir." The owner handed the prize to him. "Remember, you still had two tries."

Sasuke gave the stuff toy to Sakura.

"Thanks, Sasuke-kun. This is just so cute!" she squeezed the stuffed pig in her arms.

Naruto felt a little jealous of the scene. They were just too sweet. What could he expect from a couple? If his confession to Sakura that night didn't just go wrong… he should have been—whoa whoa, time out! He decided to set her free. He shouldn't be feeling like that towards them. But, what could he expect from a couple? Whenever he sees one… he couldn't help himself but get jealous.

"Hey. We still have two tries. Go for the next one." Sasuke said to Naruto.

"Me? I don't want anything." Naruto replied.

"You are such an idiot." Sakura said and she eyed at Hinata, who was staring at something at the booth, too.

Naruto mentally kicked himself. Of course, Hinata wants something too!

He went closer to her and said, "So, which would you like to have?"

"Oh!" The maiden got startled. ""Umm… nothing. I'm fine." She replied nervously.

"Come on. Tell me. I'm going to get it for you." Naruto said.

Hinata shook her head. "Y-you don't have to."

Naruto sighed. He never thought that she was this hard-headed. Then, he noticed that she was taking a good look at the stuff toy that looked exactly like Kyuubi, the cat from Shikamaru's dad's convenience store. Only the toy had nine tails, but the face and the body were like Kyuubi's.

"Give me one ball, oji-san." He said and he stood at the same spot where Sasuke made his shot.

"Here you go!" The owner threw the ball to him.

He caught it in his hand easily. He then focused at his target which was located at the far left of the row. A hard spot to hit. He only had two tries so he had to do this right.

And, he threw the ball quite… unsurely.

He missed.

"You suck." Sasuke commented.

"Shut up!"

One more try, if he missed, he would bring great disappointment to Hinata.

He stood firmly on his spot, aiming accurately at the Kyuubi stuff toy. This time, he was able to hit it.

"Congratulations, sir! Here's your prize!"

Naruto claimed the soft figure from the owner, and then he went to Hinata to give it to her. "This is what you want, right?" he offered embarrassingly at her.

The girl blushed again. She shyly accepted the object from the lad's hands. "Thank you very much."

"Y-yeah. No prob." Naruto vaguely scratched the back of his head.

When he was not looking at her anymore, she secretly giggled at the nine-tailed stuff toy on her arms. "Maybe there's a reason why you were given to me instead of the cute Mr. Frog. Don't worry, I'll take good care of you, Kurama." She whispered. The one she really wanted to get was the red frog beside Kurama, but since it was from Naruto… she deeply appreciates it.

"Hinata! Let's go!" Sakura called.

"_H-hai_!"

* * *

><p>After some tour around the amusement park, they decided to take a picture in the photo booth. Pair by pair. The first one to take shot was Sakura and Sasuke. The result of the picture was kind of hilarious for Naruto. Most of the shots had Sakura glomping on Sasuke, and Sasuke failed to hide those rosy cheeks. He was completely a different person when it comes to the pink-haired girl. There was still the cold attitude, but he could warm a little if he's with Sakura. After their turn came another pair.<p>

Naruto and Hinata.

At first, both of them were shy to take the picture together, but due to Sakura's threatening glares, they were forced to do it. The first few shots had Naruto just standing beside Hinata, neither of them smiled. The Hyuga was fidgeting her fingers and covering her eyes with her bangs while her companion had his hands inside his pockets and looking far away.

They looked complete strangers to each other.

Since there were more shots to be taken, and they heard a yell from Sakura, they learned how to get closer to each other. Naruto placed an arm around Hinata and gave a thumbs-up with a huge grin on his face, the girl blushed again at the contact, but this time, she was giving off a refreshing smile.

Next was the ice cream truck. They all craved for some delicious cold ice cream. Since the jet coaster was not open, the two boys decided to take the ride. They finished their ice creams, and Sasuke reserved them in line. Hinata and Sakura had no idea that their male companions were planning to ride that thing.

"Hey! Over here! We reserved you two in line!" Naruto called.

Sakura placed her hands on her hips. "You guys are playing with me again, aren't you?" she scolded. "You both know I don't like this kind of ride!"

"Hn. Such a kid. It's not that scary, but for kids like you, maybe it is." Sasuke said.

"I-I'm not frightened! I never mentioned that I was scared of that, right? I just hate it!" Sakura defended herself. "What I'm worried about is Hinata. Neji-san told me she's not allowed to ride the coaster or any other heart-striking rides. _Na_, Hinata?" she turned to the innocent maiden, asking for her help.

"O-oh… Umm… I'm sorry. Neji-ni-san forbade me to get on thrilling rides such as the roller coaster. I sincerely apologize." Hinata bowed.

"Your cousin is not here with you today. You're free to do whatever you want, dattebayo! I know you want to ride this one. Your Kurama could come, too." Naruto said. "It won't hurt just to try once, and you'll never get scolded if you keep silent about this!"

"No means no!" Sakura directed Ton-ton jr. to Naruto's face. "Then if you two wanted to ride that badly, ride it yourselves! Hinata and I will just wait down here taking pictures of the sweetness you share while riding that thing!"

Sasuke and Naruto fell silent. They both gave one another a disgusted-looking side glance.

'_Maji ka you? Not in my entire life_.' The Uchiha thought.

'_Never ever with this guy.' _The Uzumaki said mentally.

"So? What are you guys still doing here? Get on!" Sakura impatiently tapped her feet.

"Never mind. Let's go, Sakura." Sasuke said and dragged her with him.

The anger inside her was suddenly replaced by a dreamy attitude. It seemed she forgot why she was mad when Sasuke took her hand. In a few seconds, they were joined by the other two.

"Che. The only fun part is gone." Naruto said to himself. He didn't even realize that Hinata was walking beside him, clearly hearing what he said.

"I'm sorry…" Hinata said.

Naruto looked down at her. Confused of her sudden apology.

"Because of me… you weren't able to ride the jet coaster." She explained.

"You don't need to feel sorry." Naruto said. "There are more thrilling rides around here than the coaster, I suppose."

Hinata looked down. Even if Naruto told her that it was fine, she still felt guilty for getting in the way of their fun. Even Sakura has to stand up for her. This was the only time the males requested somewhere they wanted to go, and because of her, that joy was killed. Just how could she feel okay from what happened?

If she was just a normal person… then they would be screaming at the front seat of the coaster right now.

"But still, why are you letting Neji always control you? Even if he's not here, you still carry on those stupid rules he has. Why don't you try to decide for yourself?" Naruto said.

Hinata looked up to him. Distracted by his words. Was she receiving a lecture from him? He sounded quite pissed, too. Maybe he really was mad about the coaster cancellation.

"You are free to do whatever you want. Nobody owns you. _He _doesn't own you." He nearly growled there.

"Neji-ni-san is just worried about me. Please, do no judge him." She replied. She had to defend her cousin since he was showing kindness to her more than Naruto or she could imagine. Indeed, for Hinata, Neji was a great person.

"Just because Neji was worried, you have to obey him at everything? Can't he trust you? You're already old enough to make your own decisions. He can't keep treating you like a child." Naruto opposed.

He seriously sounded mad.

"I-I want to. I just can't." Hinata said in a low voice.

"Why? Because you don't want to make him worry, you let him control you and you give up? Because of those damn rules, your happiness is always prevented. You once said that you liked tennis, right? And because your cousin doesn't want you joining any clubs, you just follow his orders and give up. Who does he think he is? Your life is not his life. For how long will you let him get in the way of your desires? Would you be happy that way? Are you fine with that?" he slightly raised his voice.

Hinata cuddled Kurama in her arms tighter as if getting her strength from it. "Stop it already please!" she tried to stay calm as much as she could. "Please… don't try to talk about Neji-ni-san that way. He… he was just doing what's best for me. I do appreciate that he's always there when I need him. Even if some of his rules were as strict as my father's… I could still find ways to be happy."

"Che. You're just saying that because you don't want to ruin his reputation. I bet you're regretting to be in that Hyuuga household since everything you do is controlled by someone. Like your jerk cousin." Naruto said back.

"I-I have no regrets." Hinata said in a shaky voice. "I'm a-always grateful to have them. What you are saying is wrong." She defended. "W-why are you mad all of a sudden? Why does Naruto-kun keep saying bad things about Neji-ni-san? Are you jealous of him?"

"Hey. Hey. Hey. I am not jealous of him. And never will." Naruto cleared.

"Then why do you keep saying bad things about him? A-and if you're mad about the coaster being canceled, then why don't you go back and ride it yourself? No one's stopping you. I'm sorry that I can't accompany you. I'm sorry that I'm not allowed to get on those kinds of rides. You can criticize me as much as you want… but stop judging my cousin." She slightly lost her calmness.

"I… I do not have a reason to regret anything." She said in a low voice and she walked away from him, joining Sasuke and Sakura from afar.

Naruto aggressively scratched the back of his head. What in the world just came in his mind to tell her those things? Why was he pissed off all because of the roller coaster? Why did he keep blaming Neji in front of the guy's beloved cousin? Just what could he expect from her? Of course, no matter what Naruto says, she'll defend her cousin. She'll never agree with him when it comes with Neji. Now, that he realized his actions, he could conclude that he really was childish.

His coolness dropped all because of the coaster. He scolded her because of the jet coaster. It all started from the jet coaster!

And one more thing… what she asked him struck his chest hardly.

He was definitely jealous of Neji.

* * *

><p>The double date continued. Sakura noticed something odd between Naruto and Hinata since lunch. The pair wasn't talking to each other and was maintaining a safe distance between them. Suspicious. Very suspicious. They were so close together this morning! They held hands, walked side by side and chat. But this afternoon, it was the complete opposite. They didn't walk side by side, held hands, stood next to each other, talked, and they even avoided eye contact.<p>

Why did it come into this? Hinata kept hiding behind Sakura while Naruto kept bragging Sasuke.

He was definitely stealing her date! Sakura could take this no more. Her plan would fail if Naruto and Hinata kept on ignoring each other. If Hinata decided to go home, Naruto would go home, too! End of story.

**Mission failed.**

Sakura can't let that happen. They were wasting so much time already.

It's a good thing that a wonderful plan came in her mind.

"Hey guys! Look at that!" Sakura exclaimed enthusiastically. She pointed at the swan lake, the very famous love booth in the amusement park. She went closer to Sasuke and hugged his arm. "Come on? Can we go?" she looked at him with puppy eyes, stealing him away from Naruto.

Sasuke looked far away. He didn't want to fall for that again. By the way, he was the one carrying Ton-ton Jr. right now.

'_Trying to ignore me? Then you leave me no choice, Sasuke-kun!'_ Sakura mentally threatened. She gripped tighter at his arm, "Let's go, shall we? Sasuke-kun wanted to make-up for last time, right? So… we are going to get on that swan boat." She let out a sweet yet frightening smile.

Sasuke had no choice but to follow her desires. She sure knew how to black-mail him, didn't she?

"Hinata and Naruto, too. Go on your own boat!" Sakura said.

"What? I don't—" Naruto opposed but was quickly stopped by another dreadful glare from Sakura. That was the tenth time he received it. He still didn't know how to fight that terrifying menace.

As if he had a choice.

.

.

.

The lake was calm at Naruto and Hinata's area. It was a peaceful spot they got. The mini-swan boat was in the middle of the lake, far from the coastal are where it's noisy. Several meters away was Sasuke and Sakura's mini-boat, and the couple seemed to be having so much fun.

But this pair… never spoke with each other since their argument. They were sitting next to each other, but they kept a long distance between them that three other people could sit.

Naruto glanced at his wristwatch. It's been five minutes since they got on this mini-swan boat. Ten minutes left before they could return to the coast. It was Sasuke's money that was used to pay for this booth and he was clearly noted by the Uchiha that no one gets off until the time limit. He would not want to waste his money on this if they would not fill the time correctly.

What a life.

Naruto turned to give her just a tiny quick glance, and there, he saw her… back. Kurama was on top of her lap as he noticed. She didn't even plan looking at him. The wind suddenly blew gently at them and her hair gracefully followed its motion. Still, he did not take his eyes off her. He watched her every move. She gently grabbed her hair and settled it on one side of her shoulder as the wind continued blowing. She brushed some strands and tucked it behind her ear. The scene really captivated Naruto.

He found it fun… he found watching her fix her hair fun and adorable. He couldn't just help himself but adore her cuteness. Even if her back was facing him, he could still tell that she looked cute.

Beautiful.

Adorable.

Lovable.

He mentally stabbed himself as he thought of those things. He forced himself to look away from her… but his body won't follow his orders. He wanted to get closer to her… closer and closer.

"U-umm… N-naruto-kun." Her voice interrupted his thoughts.

Naruto was alarmed. "Wh-what?"

"I'm sorry a-about what I've said before… I said things that I shouldn't have. So, I really am sorry." She finally faced him and she bowed apologetically.

"Oi! Don't do that!" Naruto felt bad for making her apologize first. "I-I should be the one apologizing here, not you. I shouldn't have said those kinds of things about your family. How should I put this? I even got pissed off just because riding the coaster was cancelled. I really am such an idiot." He said. "You have nothing to be sorry for… it's not your fault."

But, she still wasn't lifting her head.

"But… I got mad at you. I compared you to my cousin, saying that you're jealous of him." She tightened her embrace around Kurama. "I'm sorry… I really am," she repeated, bowing a little bit lower.

"You're thinking about that?" He inched closer to her, and reached for her face. Gently and slowly, he lifted her head up by cupping her chin. "Listen, I've got no reason to get mad at you. I admit that I do feel bad for making you get angry with me… but me? Getting mad at you? That's not right. You don't deserve that kind of energy. You're cute, beautiful and kind-hearted. How could I hate someone like you?"

"Naruto-kun…" She said with wide eyes. Their faces were so near each other. Their noses nearly touched, and both of them could feel the warmth of their breathing. One false move, their lips would…

Finally, her reflexes came. She was Hinata, after all. She suddenly got up from her seat and backed away. Not remembering that they were on a boat with wide-open entrance at each side.

She was going to fall to the water.

"Watch out!" Naruto was quick on his moves. Before she falls down to the water, he reached for her arm and pulled her close to him. Kurama fell down on the flooring as Hinata was enveloped by Naruto's arms. They both fell back to the seat, Hinata on top of his lap.

"That was close. You okay?"

Hinata's head was on top of Naruto's chest. His arms wrapped her as she sat on top of him.

_Tug. Tug. Tug._

She could clearly hear the beat of his heart. She was never close to a guy like this except with her father and cousin. Her face was as usual… red.

"Geez, be careful next time, dattebayo! You scared the hell out of me!" He hugged her tighter. "What if you really fell down? Neji would kill me! And on top of that… your life would be in danger again!"

"I-I-I'm sorry." She stammered.

"You apologized again. You're such a weird girl. You nearly fell off this damned boat and you still apologize? What's with you? I-I don't know what to do if you're hurt again… I'm still troubled on what I'm feeling but… that time when Kankuro planned to kidnap you, I was extremely mad that I wanted to kill him. When those guys touched you, I wanted to rip them apart!" Now, he was giving her a piece of his mind. The scolding.

"And now, you nearly fell off… You almost gave me a heart attack!"

Hinata slightly flinched due to the vibration of his voice.

"Tell me why the hell I'm feeling that?"

She wasn't able to respond.

_SILENCE._

They both stayed like that for the moment.

A minute has passed. Another one… then followed by another.

They were still attached to each other.

"It hurts…"

Hinata finally broke the silence.

"Huh?" Naruto frowned as he heard her.

"Too tight." She said softly.

Naruto finally went back to his senses. He realized the situation they were in.

"Sorry!" he placed her back to the seat gently and picked up Kurama. He quickly gave it to her and kept a safe distance between them. He tried his best not to let the girl notice that he had shades of red on his cheeks. He stared far away and covered his face with his long fingers.

'_Damn it… damn it!' _He mentally cursed himself for what he just did. He just planned to prevent her from falling by pulling her arm. But, he wasn't able to control himself. He had no idea why he hugged her and said to things to her. '_I'm such an idiot!'_

* * *

><p>Finally, they were able to go back to the coast. Naruto thought that he wouldn't manage to survive the fifteen-minute shame, but it seemed that lady luck was with him. He was able to get back in one piece.<p>

"Did you guys have fun?" Sakura asked, still clinging at Sasuke's arm.

"Y-yes… Thank you very much." Hinata replied, looking down to her feet.

Naruto was avoiding glances.

Sakura noticed something odd between the two. It was usual for Hinata to be seen blushing, but how about Naruto? He was also blushing and that was very rare to be seen at him. She just smirked at the pair's behavior. At least, she could conclude that they were able to make-up.

"Next stop, the new auditorium!" Sakura exclaimed. "Let's go!" she dragged Sasuke freely and made their way to their destination.

After a minute of two, they reached the auditorium. The schedule said that the show would start at exactly 4.00pm, it's only 3.35pm so they still had the time to wait. Just as planned, Hinata asked Naruto to accompany her at the bay beside the auditorium, and she was successful. For the moment, they stood there waiting for Sakura and Sasuke.

Sakura managed to drive Sasuke away by asking him to get some drinks at the vending machine, just as she planned. She was hiding behind a post and spying at Hinata and Naruto. The Hyuga saw her and began sending the secret signal. When she received the secret signal, she nodded in response.

"This will be perfect… All I need to do is get Sasuke-kun." She whispered to herself.

"What would be perfect?"

A masculine voice coming from behind completely scared the hell out of her.

"Sasuke-kun!" She exclaimed nervously. "You surprised me…"

"Stalking the two of them?" he asked.

Sakura gestured her hands side-wards. "No! It's not like that! I was… I was just—"

Her explanation was unnecessary for Sasuke. "Enough, Sakura."

"Eh?"

"I told you to stay out of this, didn't I? I know what you're trying to do all along. Haven't I told you that I'd tell it to him myself?"

"I know that but… I just wanted to help. I know you're having a hard time telling him… but we're wasting so much time already. When will you tell him if not now? Naruto, Naruto would be hurt if he was the last one to know."

"I understand that."

"Listen, I was just trying to help you have your time alone with him. I guess that this date is the perfect moment to tell him everything. Naruto is our best friend… he is your best friend. He has the right to know it sooner than later."

Sasuke placed a hand on Sakura's left shoulder. "You don't have to explain everything. I appreciate all what you're doing for me, Sakura." He said. "Don't worry… I'll tell him." He landed a soft kiss on her forehead and made his way to where Naruto and Hinata were.

"Sasuke-kun…" Hinata whispered.

"Naruto," Sasuke called for him. "We need to talk." He gave Hinata a glare, with an obvious message of '_Leave'._

Hinata completely understood this and began to walk away.

"Wait! Where are you going?" Naruto obviously didn't want her to go.

"I… I should leave you two for a while." She said.

"No. You stay here." Naruto said and glanced at Sasuke. "She doesn't have to go." He frowned.

"No, she has to. Sakura wants for her to accompany her to the restrooms." Sasuke said.

"I see… I'll be going now." Hinata bowed politely and she left the two guys alone to let them talk privately.

Naruto groaned and leaned at the steel railings. "What do you want to talk about?"

"You really got attracted to her, didn't you? Keep in mind that she's Neji's cousin. He would beat you in a pulp." Sasuke said.

"Are you here just to give me a sermon?" Naruto narrowed his eyes.

"No. I'm being serious here." Sasuke replied. "Will she be the one?"

Naruto turned away. "It's nothing like that!" he defended.

"I see. You're still troubled. You're gonna need someone like her these days. To tell the truth, I trust Hyuuga Hinata. I want her to be your close friend." Sasuke said.

"You can't choose whom I want to have as a friend. What are you, my father? And what's with the gloomy face?" said Naruto.

Sasuke looked down the bay and closed his fists. A serious expression was shown on his face.

Naruto patiently waited for him to speak up. He knew that something was definitely wrong. It was rare for Sasuke to talk with him alone all of a sudden.

"Naruto… I'm leaving."

Sasuke was finally able to find his words.

The blonde-haired guy stood still as he accepted the words from the Uchiha.

"On your birthday, 10th of October which is on Wednesday, I'm leaving for Las Vegas. I would continue my studies there with my brother, Itachi." Sasuke continued babbling about why he had to leave the country so sudden, but Naruto wasn't able to hear them all.

As Sasuke continued with his explanation, Naruto stood there with a crestfallen expression. All that he heard from his best friend was…

"I'm leaving. I don't know when I'm going back."

Those words completely made his mind blank. Nothing else mattered. He could see or hear no one but Sasuke who was standing in front of him. And soon, the guy would disappear. He would leave.

Naruto wasn't able to react for the moment. Both of them stood by the bay in silence after Sasuke was finished with his explanation. He was just there, waiting for Naruto's reaction.

But… no words came out of his mouth. He didn't know what to say, how to react or what to do. He was completely lost in his own world.

All that came to him was…

A life without Sasuke… what would it be like?

TO BE CONTINUED.

* * *

><p><strong>an:**

Thank you for reading! Please review! Sorry if there are some mistakes, it's really late now here in my country so I'm kind of having a hard time distinguishing errors. Thank you for staying with me. TT^TT

Thank you for helping me fix this one! I even mixed up Naruto and Hinata's birthday... I'm such an idiot! Now, I know what happens to me when I always stay up late.

*gets chased by angry mob*

Angry mob: You better update soon or we'll burn down your house!

Y-yes! Farewell for now. I'll do my best to update as soon as I can.

Oh, and very belated Happy Valentine's day. I hope you all had a great Valentine. Just like me. :))) o/o

**VOCABULARY**

**Ikezou- let's go**

**Yatta- hooray! Yeah!**

**Hai- yes**

**Na- right?**

**Maji ka yo- seriously; are you serious**


	14. Chapter 14: A different Birthday

**a/n:**

I sincerely apologize for not updating for a MONTH! Just got very busy with the last weeks of school, and I could call it a HELL WEEK. But... today is the start of summer vacation! I'm going to be a Senior soon... How time went by so fast. It was like yesterday when I stepped on my school as a freshman.

Enough blabbering! Enjoy the looong chapter!

**DISCLAIMER: No matter how much I love Naruto Uzumaki, I can never own him! All the characters in this story is owned by MASASHI KISHIMOTO-SAMA and the anime itself. Well, the flow of this story is owned by me. :) **

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 14: A different Birthday<strong>

Naruto was all alone lying on his bed. It was already 7.00am and he was still on his pajamas. He didn't feel like going to school today. He wasn't sick or anything, it's just that no energy would enter his body to make him get up. He was able to go to school this Monday and Tuesday, but today which was Wednesday… he didn't want to.

Because today is _that_ day. 10th of October. The date of Sasuke's departure and Naruto's…

Seventeenth birthday.

* * *

><p>"<em>I'm leaving for Las Vegas. My father wanted me to continue my studies there with my brother. A new branch of the company was established there so… my parents would follow us soon." Sasuke explained. "We would be living there for several years to fix and make sure that the company runs well in that state. There is no specific date that we'll return."<em>

_Each word that Sasuke let out struck Naruto's chest hard. He never thought that he would here these… things. He always thought that they would always be together since they were best friends since kindergarten. Nothing tore them apart for all these years. But, what was happening right now? The best friend he thought that would never leave was standing in front of him saying his farewells in a cool style. Why? Why was he feeling so angry and at the same time… crestfallen?_

_But he had no reason to be angry. It was his fault all along. Thinking that Sasuke would be always right beside him… thinking that Sasuke would never leave him behind… thinking that they will always be together._

_He knew to himself that he was being __**Childish. Selfish**__._

_And now is the time to grow up. It is the time to wake up. This was reality. The world is not fair; everyone had to live with it. He and Sasuke could never be always together. The time would come that they had to go separate ways and live their own life._

_Just like what was happening right now._

_Even if it was against his will, he had to accept that Sasuke was leaving._

"_Sou?" Naruto was finally able to communicate. "Man, you're a lucky guy! Vegas? It's so cool in that place." He laughed. He can't believe himself… he managed to laugh at this situation._

_He was really pathetic._

"_Say hi to Itachi for me!" He added, after that, he left. When he saw Hinata, he grabbed her by the hand and told Sakura that he would take the Hyuuga home. He sure had guts to say that. He doesn't even know where the Hyuuga Household is! So, in the end they had to call Ko to pick her up._

_When Hinata safely got inside the car, he decided to leave. And that's how his date ended._

* * *

><p>Naruto shut his eyes and frowned. He didn't want to remember that anymore. He was acting really lame. When Sasuke was dead serious that time, he just laughed and took it as a joke. He acted as if he didn't care. He acted as if everything was all right. He lied to what he was really feeling again.<p>

*knock knock*

He barely noticed the sound coming from his door.

*knock knock*

There it was again. Even if he heard it this time, he ignored it and gave no response.

"Naruto, you're gonna be late for school. It's 7.05 am." It was Minato's voice that came from the other side of his door.

Instead of answering, Naruto covered his face with his blanket and ignored the doctor.

*knock knock*

"Naruto! Are you still asleep? Get up or you'll be late!"

"Go away! I'm not going to school." Naruto replied coldly.

"_Doushita?_ Are you not feeling well? Is it a cold? A cough? An allergy? I can check you up." Minato offered concernedly.

"No. Just leave me alone and I'll be fine." Naruto said.

There it was again. He was pushing people away from him again. But he didn't want to bother Minato with his pathetic attitude.

"Hey… I can help you. Just tell me what problem you're facing right now and I'll help you." Minato said.

Naruto was grateful for the doctor's concern. But this was his problem. He needs to face it all alone. He would want to bother Minato about this. After all… they're not related to each other or anything. He knew that he had been bothering the man since the man moved in this mansion. This time, Naruto didn't want to be a burden.

"I'm fine, doc. You better leave now or you'll be the one who's going to be late for work. Just go. I want to be alone." Naruto said.

Of course, Minato didn't want to leave. What would a father do at times when his son was facing difficulties in life? Obviously, he would be there to guide him and help him with all his heart. He didn't want to leave the lad alone but he could completely understand what Naruto was feeling. He, too, felt like this at times. That he wanted to be alone even if a lot of people were there offering themselves to help him. But he chose to bear the problem on his own because he was still not capable of telling it to anyone. But, his family made him feel that he was not alone. That they would always be there whenever he needed their help. That they would always be there if he couldn't take it anymore.

Maybe Naruto was feeling like that. He wanted to be alone because he was not yet ready to open-up the problem he was facing to anyone. That he can handle it all by himself. Even if the lad could solve it all alone, he still had to realize one important thing.

"I know that you're strong and you can get through your problem by yourself. But, remember… I just want you to realize that you're not alone." Minato said. "This time, maybe you don't need me. But, when you can't take it anymore, I'll be here to help you. Jiraiya-sensei and I will be here to help you."

Naruto wasn't able to react for a while. He could really how Minato cared for him. He removed the blanket off his face and sat up on his bed. He stared at the door for a long time, knowing that the doctor was on the other side of it.

"Yeah. I'll do that."

He finally replied.

"That's good to hear. Then… I'll be leaving. Just call when you need me." He paused. "Also, get your gift at the dining table. I left your breakfast beside it… make sure you eat it all, okay? And… Happy Birthday." Naruto head the footsteps slowly fading.

"_Happy Birthday."_

Minato's voice echoed in his head. The doctor was a very great person. Naruto couldn't believe how he met a person like that.

He just hoped that he really does have a happy seventeenth birthday.

* * *

><p>8.00 am, Uchiha Household.<p>

Sasuke was sitting on his bed, sorting out things that he'll be bringing in Las Vegas. Since Sakura had informed him about Hinata working in the city orphanage, he decided to put things that he can't use anymore in a delivery box for donation to the orphans.

"Sasuke, are your boxes ready? The charity truck has come." Mikoto Uchiha, Sasuke's mother appeared on his opened door.

"Ah." Sasuke answered effortlessly. He lifted his box and walked across his room.

"You should continue on what you are doing. I'll be the one to give this to the delivery man." Mikoto took the donation box from her son. "Your father and I would be waiting for you downstairs. Just take your time, okay?"

Sasuke turned away and sat back on his bed. There are still many boxes on top of his bed, some are categorized to be moved in the attic while the others are to be brought to Vegas.

Mikoto sighed. "My… my…"

Sasuke gave her a side glance. "_Doushita?_"

"Nothing! It's just… I can't believe that this day would come… that your room would be empty." Mikoto said.

That was true. Sasuke's room was partly empty. His things were already settled out except for his bed, bookshelves and study table. But the rest parts were occupied by empty space.

"How time goes by so fast… It's like it was yesterday when I gave birth to you… held you in my arms the first time… cried when you first called me "mama". But now, you're a full grown lad. You and Itachi made me proud." Mikoto said. Tears were threatening to fall from her black eyes.

Sasuke avoided his mother's gaze. "The delivery guy… don't make him wait for too long." He said.

"Oh, yes!" Mikoto came back to her senses. "I'll be going down now, is this all?" she asked before leaving.

The raven-haired boy replied the negative.

"Then I'd be going." She then took her leave.

Upon hearing soft gentle steps from his mother, he decided to call for her. "_Kaa-san_."

Mikoto halted on her steps. "Hmmn? Did you forget something?" She went back to his front door.

"Thank you. Thank you for everything. And, see you soon." He said, not bothering to look at her.

Mikoto smiled. That was the very first time she heard him say those words. He rarely talks so… hearing him speak those warm words completely gave heaven to her heart. "I'm grateful to have you, Sasuke." She then left him in his room.

The usual silence came back to his surroundings. He continued sorting out the things he has to bring in Las Vegas, and he found an item that he should take most. He stood up and made his way towards his study table. On top of his study table was a picture frame, of course, containing a photo inside it. He could remember how this photo was taken ten years ago. Naruto was at the left side having a pissed look on his face, on the right side was Sasuke having a bitter expression, and in between them was Sakura who seems to be the only one enjoying the picture. Behind them was their close teacher, Hatake Kakashi. They haven't mentioned anything to the class but his parents, Naruto's grandfather and Sakura's parents were good friends with the cool teacher. Kakashi used to take care of them when they were still kids. Come to think of it, the teacher hasn't aged a bit. He still looked young and cool.

And Sasuke rarely gave compliments.

*kriiing! Kriiing!*

His cell phone began ringing. He peeked at the caller I.D and was not surprised to see the registering name. He quickly picked it up.

"What's wrong, Sakura?" he asked.

"Sasuke-kun, _yappari ne_… Naruto didn't come to school. Hinata just called me about it." Sakura said on the other end of the line.

"_Sou_." Sasuke replied. He eyed on the 7-year-old Uzumaki Naruto on the photo emotionlessly. "That idiot… he doesn't have to come if he doesn't want to."

"I can convince him to see you before you leave." Sakura said.

"No. Let him be. I'll be waiting for you later. Bye." Sasuke ended the conversation. He placed down his cell phone on the top of his desk. He grabbed the picture frame and placed it inside his bag, where his personal belongings were located. "Stupid idiot." He said in a low voice.

* * *

><p>8.15 am Konoha Gakuen<p>

"So… Saku—Haruno, Uchiha and Uzumaki are absent today." Kakashi just finished checking the class attendance. "I guess we could start talking about the play even if they're not present. They would come back tomorrow so just inform them about what we had discussed."

"Sensei… Sasuke-kun isn't coming back. He's leaving for another country this afternoon." Ten-ten reminded.

"_Are? _Ah! That's right. My bad, my bad. I forgot." Kakashi scratched the back of his bed while he laughed at his mistake.

"Geez, Sensei. Are you taking this seriously? Now, let me ask. Sasuke-kun and Hinata are supposed to be the leading role here, right? Since Sasuke-kun is moving away, who would be the one to take his place?" Ino asked.

Kakashi sweatdropped. "Yamanaka spoiled my plan." The truth is, he still didn't announce the lead characters to the class. Ino was the only one who knew it along with Mitarashi Anko.

"EEEEEHHH? SERIOUSLY?"

"I thought it was going to be Sakura and Sasuke!"

"No! Neji-kun and Ten-ten-chan!"

"What are you guys saying? It's Ino and Shikamaru!"

"_Chotto_… where did that come from?" Ino's eyebrow twitched.

Shikamaru, who was just beside Ino just yawned and ignored the commotion.

The class continued blabbering about the pairing they wanted to take over the Christmas play.

'_Why didn't they say Kiba and Hinata? Darn it.' _Kiba mentally cursed. He was pretty comfortable today since his rival, Naruto was absent. He could move freely with the girl in front of him which was Hinata. To forget his dark aura, he decided to talk to her. "Hey, Hinata. Did you hear what Ino just said? You were going to be the leading lady of the play. Congrats!"

There was no reaction from the maiden. He noticed that she has been like that ever since she entered the room. She was looking down and she looked obviously worried about something or… someone. "Oi, Hinata. You okay?"

Still, no response.

Something was odd about this. She was acting weirder than the usual. He placed a hand on top of her shoulder and shook her gently. "Are you okay? Hey."

"Oh! Ah…" She finally snapped out of it. "D-do you need something?" she asked unsurely.

"I was asking if you were all right. Is there something bothering you? You look troubled." Kiba looked at her with concerned eyes.

"Sorry to startle you, Kiba-kun. I'm all right. I was just thinking of… of some things." She smiled reassuringly.

"You sure? You're acting really weird. You're not this weird in the usual days." Kiba said.

"What does Kiba-kun mean by that?" Hinata asked, slightly offended.

"I-I mean—you—you're not your—err, you're not your usual self!" Kiba defended. She was definitely making him stutter lamely. "And don't get the idea that I'm always watching you!" he said in a defensive tone of voice.

"N-no! I don't think of that…" she slightly blushed.

"I… was just concerned of you. I don't want to see you having troubles…" He said in a low voice but clear enough to be heard by Hinata.

Her eyes widened in awe. "Eh?"

"Hyuuga Hinata! Have you been paying attention of what we've been discussing about?" Kakashi called for her.

"Ah!" Hinata quickly stood up from her seat and bowed apologetically. "I'm very sorry!"

"Just because your new leading man is absent today, you could now talk to the guy behind you." Ino said. "Don't waste Naruto's efforts from keeping the girl away from your courting, Kiba."

Hinata swiftly lifted her head as Kiba clumsily stood up behind her seat. Together, they both exclaimed with the class…

"EEEH?"

* * *

><p>Sakura has been contacting Naruto the whole morning but the guy didn't even answer one call. It was already 12.45 pm and Sasuke's flight was scheduled to leave on 2pm. She was now inside her family's car, on her way to Konoha airport to see him off. She didn't give up on calling Naruto. But still, no answer until the guy completely turned off his cell phone.<p>

"Come on Naruto… Stop being like that. We won't be able to see Sasuke-kun for a long time." Sakura said to herself. She did everything she could to reach Naruto, but in the end, she failed. She couldn't do anything for Sasuke. Even on this time, she couldn't help him. She could remember how his voice sounded on the phone this morning when she called him. When she told him that Naruto didn't go to school and doesn't pick up his phone, she knew that Sasuke was just acting strong. He acted as if he didn't care but deep inside, she knew what he was truly feeling.

After all… Naruto was Sasuke's best friend.

So, she just can't give up. This was the least she could do for her best friends. Of course, she wouldn't want for Sasuke to part without being in good terms with Naruto.

One idea came in her mind. Why hadn't she thought of it earlier?

She quickly flipped open her cell phone and dialed for a certain person's number. And after three rings, there was the answer.

"Hinata. I need to ask a favor." Sakura said.

"Sakura-san? What is it?" Hinata spoke from the other side of the line.

"Can you please go to Naruto's house right now? Please…"

"Eh? Now!"

"Yes. Totally right now. I tried contacting him the whole morning but it was no use. Sasuke-kun's flight is on 2pm and Naruto was still hard to reach. I'm on my way to the airport because Sasuke-kun wants me there right now." She suddenly drifted to the thought of Sasuke wanting her to be with him. "Yes… he wants me there with HIM right now…" she fantasized. Wait, go back to your senses, Sakura! "Ah! A-anyways… You're the only one I can think of who can convince Naruto to see Sasuke-kun off so, please, go straight to his place!"

"B-but—afternoon session is about to start. And, how do I get out of the school when the front gate is closed?"

"Listen. I'm going to tell you the greatest way to get out of there. I've used this technique with Naruto, Sasuke-kun, Ino and Shikamaru frequently and it works very well! We use this up 'til now. So, take note of this."

"Y-yes."

"Don't—"

"Don't?"

"Get—"

"G-get?"

"Caught."

"C-cau—what?"

"Don't get caught! As simple as that. And that was a very clever plan." Sakura bousted.

Then there was a pause. A crow suddenly flew in front of Sakura's car saying, "_Aho Aho Aho_."

"Don't get… caught?" Hinata asked for confirmation.

"Yes. Don't ever get caught, understand? You care for Naruto, right? You want to help him, right? So, please. Go to his place and do everything to convince him. Right now, you're the only one who can get through him. Not Kakashi-sensei, not Sasuke-kun and not me… if it's Hinata, I'm sure Naruto will listen." Sakura said.

"Sakura-san…"

"Now go! You have no time to lose. Keep in mind that if you fail… YOU ARE SO GONNA GET IT!" Sakura threatened.

"Y-yes! I won't let you down!" Hinata answered nervously.

"I'll be waiting for the two of you then… I'll just message Naruto's address. Once you receive it, get out of there as soon as possible, okay?"

"I understand."

"See you later and be careful on your way."

Then the conversation ended. Sakura leaned her back comfortably on the back of the passenger seat.

"I'm counting on you, Hinata." She said as she sent the message to Hinata.

* * *

><p>Not half a minute, Hinata already received the text message from Sakura. Once she had read what's inside, she carefully wore her school bag on her left shoulder and began… crawling. She just hoped that no one would see her doing this. Especially Hyuuga Neji. She was such a disgrace.<p>

'_Sorry, Ni-san…' _She mentally apologized. Her top priority for now is to get to Naruto's house, but first, she had to get out of here without being caught.

She continued crawling stealthily. She was halfway out of the classroom, thank God nobody saw her yet. Crawling. Crawling like a cat. She felt like a professional in doing this. She was so close on reaching her first goal… so close! But, one person saw her. Outside the door, a wheel chair blocked her way.

"What are you doing?" the red-haired guy looked down at her emotionlessly.

"G-gaara-kun…" Hinata kept her voice low. "A-ano… I—"

"Hey guys, where's Hinata?" Kiba noticed her absence all of a sudden.

"Oh no…" Hinata swallowed hard. This was what she was afraid of. She thought that she was doing pretty well at this but, one look down the floor… they would definitely see her. "What should I do?" she whispered to herself.

"Come." Gaara said. "I'll cover you." He went out of the way.

Hinata looked up to him, "Gaara-kun…"

"Hurry." He said impatiently.

"Y-yes…" she crawled out of the room and went to the hidden portion of his wheel chair as he helped her escape. No one noticed her, all thanks to the great Gaara.

When they were far from anyone's sight, Hinata quickly thanked for Gaara's help.

"I should be the one saying that." Gaara said. "Thank you."

Hinata couldn't believe what she was hearing. She was puzzled. Why was he thanking her out of the blue? Did she do something?

"Temari said that she was sorry that she couldn't meet you in person right now. We really are thankful to you… Kankuro told us everything that had happened just a day ago so" Gaara began explaining but stopped in the middle. He was not good at things like this so what could we expect?

"Ah… I see. How is Kankuro-san doing?" She asked.

"Fine… he came back several weeks ago saying that someone changed him back." He replied.

Hinata smiled. "Oh… Thank God."

Gaara turned away from her. "Follow me."

"What?" Hinata blinked innocently.

"I know a secret way to get out of here without getting caught." He said.

"Is that true?" Hinata exclaimed. "But… you'll be late for the next subject if you accompany."

"I'm just going to be late. I'm not cutting classes like you." He shot back.

Hinata looked down in embarrassment. That was true. Even if she had a serious reason on doing this kind of thing, for the record, it was still cutting classes. But, Sakura was counting on her on this one. She can't let her down.

"Aren't you coming? You're going to meet him, right?" Gaara said. "What are you waiting for?"

"Oh… yes. I'm sorry." She snapped back to reality. She was now determined to do this.

Gaara had led her to a place she had never been before. Well, there are still lots of places in the school she hasn't gone before at the school campus, but what surprised her was this. Even though Konoha Gakuen is a highly rated school in the country, who would have thought that there was a secret passage behind the soccer dorm? Literally, where was the secret passage?

Gaara stood up from his wheel chair and pushed some boxes away. Like in a magic show, the magician could say "Voila!" for his breathtaking magic trick. But, Gaara was no magician. When he pushed the huge boxes away, the secret passage was revealed to her pale colored eyes. The passage was now open. Few steps to take, then she was out of this school. The first time she had done this in her entire school life. Cutting classes, what a disgrace to the family.

"Go." Gaara commanded her. He sat back quickly to his wheel chair as if he had a 500-meter dash.

Hinata looked at him with sympathetic eyes. Seeing the lad like this stopped her for a moment. He looked completely exhausted. He pushed his body to its limit… how could she just leave him?

"But… Gaara-kun is…" she went closer to him.

"I'm fine. Just go. Now." Gaara glared hardly at her, creating an invisible barrier between them.

"Are you going to be all right?" she asked, hesitating to leave him like this.

"I have lived my life like this for one year. Now go before I change my mind on covering for you." He replied.

Hinata stood still and looked at him tenderly. "Thank you, Gaara-kun." She said with a sweet smile. She gave him a respectful bow before leaving, and then she entered the passage.

"Say goodbye to Sasuke for me." He said one last time before turning away. At the same time, the school bell rang for the classes to resume.

Hinata looked back to him before completely settling off. He had already turned his back from her in a cold manner. "Yes." She answered in a moderately loud voice for him to hear. After that, she got the hell out of the school grounds.

There was no turning back now.

* * *

><p>Naruto was sitting all alone on an old-looking log in their garden. This place sure was memorable to him. Especially, the log that he was sitting on. Still fresh from his mind, he recalled all the memories he had with this log. A 6-year-old Sasuke Uchiha first saw him sitting on this log, crying to himself on his sixth birthday. That was when they first met.<p>

"_Crybaby. Stop crying. You're embarrassing."_

Those were the first words Sasuke threw him.

"…_s-stop acting cool."_

And those were the first words he threw Sasuke back.

After that conversation, they became friends.

Lots of memories came back to him. Sad and joyful ones… they occurred to him slowly.

This was the same day. The same day he first made a friend, the same day his first ever friend would leave him.

How times changed.

"Young master, you have a visitor." A butler came to ruin his fresh flash back. How nice yet how rude of him.

"I'm not in the mood to see anyone. Make him go away." Naruto replied coldly.

"But-"

"I don't want to see anyone! Is that hard to understand—" when he had turned his gaze towards the butler, a fragile figure behind the servant shook his world. Of all people, he never thought he would be seeing her standing in his memorable garden.

Why is Hinata in his mansion? What was she doing here? Afternoon session would start by now, but here she was, standing in front of him wearing her school uniform and school bag.

* * *

><p>Hinata was very happy that she finally saw Naruto. He was sitting comfortably on a log with a very troubled expression glued on his face. He was wearing a loose white polo shirt, the top two buttons were not attached to each other, revealing a small portion of his hard bound chest, and on his lower half was a pair of loose jeans. He wore his attire in a bad boy manner. His spiky blond hair was ruffled ordinarily, and no shoes nor slippers sheltered his feet. His cool look was later interrupted by the butler accompanying her.<p>

She heard that Naruto didn't want to see anyone.

When Hinata heard him say those words, she felt depressed. She felt bad for him. It was his birthday today… he must have a great time right now. But the atmosphere she was seeing right now was entirely the opposite. Instead of celebrating and having fun, he was there, sitting all alone.

She has come this far. There is no way that she would turn back.

The moment their eyes met, it seemed she delivered him a great shock.

Hinata took a step forward and bowed as a greeting. There were soon left by the butler to give them privacy.

Naruto stood up from his spot. "What are you doing here? How? Why?"

"I-I came to get Naruto-kun." She confessed. She clutched her bag tighter as she approached him.

Naruto frowned, eyes slightly narrowing. "To get me? What has gotten into you? Aside from that, why the hell did you come here? You left the school in the middle of school hours. You appeared to be alone. When Neji finds out about this, he would kill me. How did you even get here in the— "

A lot of questions were thrown to her, but she knew that he was just trying to avoid the main topic here.

"Sasuke-kun is departing soon. We should hurry." She mustered all her courage in her to interrupt his statements and questions. She had never done that before. She was taught that she had to let the person finish talking before she speaks. There goes that rule. She broke another one.

Naruto fell silent. He turned his back on her and lowered his head. "You came here just for that?" his voice sounded irritated.

"Y-yes." She answered bravely. "We should get going now before—"

"Who says that I'm going?" his stern voice cut her statement.

"Eh…?" Hinata blinked several times. Not quite sure if she heard him right.

"I'm not going anywhere. I'm staying here." He cleared.

"B-but!"

"I said I'm not going!" he snapped. He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists on his sides. "Can't you understand that? I'm not going to see him leave."

Hinata winced from his angry voice. Even if she was no match for hi, she had to try. She just can't give this up easily.

"Why… tell me why?" she tried her best not to stutter, and in this one she didn't fail. "Today is the day that Sasuke-kun would leave. Why don't you want to see him? Is Naruto-kun fine leaving things like that? You lied again… saying that everything's all right. But it's not."

Naruto faced her. "What do you know? Who do you think you are to say those things to me? You know _NOTHING." _His tone hardened that it made her feel weak.

Hinata felt so little. She was arguing with him again. But, she can't afford to give up. Sasuke needs to see him.

"It's true that I've only known Naruto-kun for a short time compared to Sakura-san who had known you since childhood. I am not close to Sasuke-kun either… we never talked to each other compared to Naruto-kun who was always with him." She looked down. "But… even though I've only known both of you for a short time, I treat you two as my friends considering Sakura-san. You were there when Kankuro-san planned to kidnap me… Sasuke-kun was also there to save me. After all that… I couldn't look at the two of you the same way when we first met each other at the cruise. I can't say that you two are just my classmates. Sasuke-kun and Naruto-kun are both important to me now."

Naruto stared at her. He suddenly felt guilty for saying harsh words to the maiden again. She was here, all worried about him and all he did was to push her away and yell at her.

"Don't you think that, you should be the one standing by his side, right now? Naruto-kun is Sasuke-kun's best friend… don't you want to see him before he leaves?" She asked.

After the dead silence in a minute or two, Naruto finally spoke.

"I don't want him to leave. Of course, I don't want him to leave!" He raised his voice. "He's my best friend. We've been together for more than ten years and nothing ever separated us! The nerve… how could he just leave like that?" He kicked the old log with his right foot repeatedly. "How can I afford to see him? He was with me all my life… he was the very first person who treated me as a friend! He was my very first friend and best friend. He saved me from my lonely life and now… he would leave. I'm—I'm going to be all alone again! That darkness would come back and haunt me!"

"Y-you're wrong!" Hinata tightened her grip on her bag. "I-it's not the Naruto-kun I know. You're not the Naruto-kun I know who doesn't run away!" she shouted. This was not the first time, or the second time. Thanks to him, she was already capable of shouting. "Naruto-kun doesn't run away. He faces what lies ahead of him bravely. He would not run away and hide. And he's selfless. He cares most for his friends and thinks of them first before thinking of himself. And—and he never goes back on his own words!" her voice cracked on her last words. "Th-that's the Naruto-kun I know!"

Naruto was astounded by her shocking behavior. He was suddenly out of words as he accepted everything she had said.

"And… and I'm sure that Sasuke-kun wants to see Naruto-kun most before leaving." Hinata said lastly, hoping that he words would reach Naruto. If not, she didn't know what to do anymore.

Naruto remained silent. Her words gave him great impacts on his chest. It was like swift bullets coming from a hitman striking through him. He could see how bitter her face was. She was looking down. Her cheeks were flushed due to her shoutings. He felt really bad on seeing the girl like this. He had always adored her sweet innocent smiles… and he couldn't stand her looking like this.

And why was that? Why does he feel that way?

He had no idea.

He slowly walked towards her. She wasn't able to realize his moves since her eyes were shut from all those shoutings she made. For him, she looked like a child. A child in the right way of thinking. And what was he? A teen-ager who thinks like a child. He was naïve. He looked completely naïve in front of her. When he was close enough, he extended his hand on the back of her head and pulled it close to his chest.

What Naruto did froze Hinata on the spot. Her eyes went wide as she was drawn close to his chest.

"I'm sorry. I was acting like a coward. I… was really lost at that moment and I didn't know what to do. But, thanks to you I was able to get myself back." He inched closer to her ears and whispered, "I have to get a gift after this." Then he broke away and grabbed her by the hand.

She was still unable to move.

"Don't fall back. We have a flight to catch." He said, and together, they ran.

* * *

><p>Sasuke was staring outside the glass wall of the air port. He was in this place for already two hours, and by the time, his flight number would be called. That's the time he'll leave.<p>

He gulped at the can of soda in his hand. It felt like the liquid was burning his throat due to the reactants of its composition. Once he had emptied the can, he wiped off his lips with the back of his hand and threw the can to the garbage. For a while, he stared blankly at the empty soda. A memory suddenly came back to him.

Back when he was a child, he used to fly rockets with the use of soft drinks with his best friend, Naruto. They had done it a couple of times even if their guardians forbade them to do so. The third time they did it resulted a big commotion. It was on the middle of a celebration, their rocket flew from the garden all the way inside the event hall just to land on Jiraiya's tuxedo. Accidentally. Everything happened accidentally. Neither of them wanted any of these to happen. Still, they were at fault. They were told million times to never play that game anymore.

Sasuke could still remember how they were punished for their idiocy. Itachi was also there, only laughing at their punishment.

"Sasuke-kun…" Sakura called for him.

Hearing the girl's voice distracted his thoughts. He went back to his cool gesture and faced her.

"What?"

"Don't worry. Naruto will definitely come. Just wait." She said.

Sasuke walked pass her and sat down at the bench. "I'm not worrying or anything," he answered as he plugged in his earphones.

Sakura gave him a concerned look. She then shifted her gaze and stared outside the airport, waiting for them to arrive.

'_Hinata… Naruto… Hurry up.'_

* * *

><p>Naruto and Hinata were now riding the bullet train to avoid the traffic jam. Only one seat was vacant in the train so Naruto let Hinata sit down while he stood near the door. He desperately touched the glass window and cursed the <strong>slow <strong>bullet train. He always complimented the speed this train, but now, it was bringing down all those traits he looked up to since childhood.

What's worse? They had to stop by another station to load and unload passengers.

The man beside Hinata already left and the train started moving again. Naruto was still glaring outside, clenching his fists madly.

"Naruto-kun… you can sit here. The man left." Hinata offered, but no response came from him.

"Hurry… hurry up you stupid train." He mumbled.

"Naruto-kun…"

"Stupid train, is this all you've got?" he continued mumbling.

"Naruto-kun." She called him for the third time, still he didn't answer. "Naruto-kun!"

And finally, he noticed.

"Oh, yeah? What is it?" he asked.

"Don't worry, okay? We will definitely make it on time." She tried to calm him down, knowing that he's tensing up and getting impatient with the delays. "Sasuke-kun will definitely wait for you… We will make it. Trust me."

Naruto felt a little bit better when he heard the girl's thoughtful words. Somehow, his worries faded. He was very grateful to have her beside him. This was not the only time she helped him. Since the day they met, she was always there to save his butt. And what had he done to pay her back?

He yelled at her.

He scolded her.

After this… he would find out. He would find out what she means to him.

* * *

><p>2.05 pm<p>

The exact time they had arrived in the airport. They went to where Sasuke would be staying waiting for his flight to be called but when they arrived; no sign of any raven-haired guy was there anymore.

"Damn… that idiot. Leaving like that without my permission… SASUKE NO BAKA!" Naruto shouted on top of his lungs. The other boarders looked at him, completely drawing him their attention.

Hinata stood behind him, probably three yards away, "Naruto-kun…" she said softly. After all, the time of Sasuke's flight was 2pm. He would be gone by now. She looked down, blaming herself for not being able to bring Naruto on time. Sakura had high hopes for her, she promised herself that Sasuke would see Naruto before leaving… and she made Naruto trust her that they would make it.

She failed them.

She took a step forward and was about to speak.

"Naruto-kun, I'm sor—"

"So you two finally showed up."

The familiar cold voice interrupted their moment. They knew that only one guy owned that voice. To make sure, Naruto and Hinata both about-faced and they were not mistaken.

"Sasuke!" "Sasuke-kun!" they both exclaimed in unison.

"Hinata! Naruto! Thank God you made it." Sakura exclaimed.

"But… how? It's already 2.05pm…"

"My flight got delayed for ten minutes." Sasuke's answer did the thing. No more confusions to the new comers.

It was still there. His cool nature still surrounded him.

"I'm glad you two still made it. I thought you two were not—" before Sakura could finish what she was saying, a rushed Naruto ran pass her, when she turned, she was too late to stop everything.

*SMACK!*

Naruto had punched Sasuke right on the face.

Sasuke managed to keep his balance. He only stepped back due to the impact, but he was able to withstand the attack. Even if he saw it coming, he didn't think of moving away or dodging the assault.

"Sasuke! Wait, what do you think you are doing, Naruto-kun?" Mikoto Uchiha, noticing the scene quickly rushed for her son's aid.

Fugaku stood still behind her, understanding the situation between the two lads.

Sakura saw the Uchiha mistress coming. Before Sasuke's mother could get involve with Naruto and Sasuke's situation, Sakura quickly acted to prevent her. "Everything is fine here, _Obaa-sama_. Sasuke-kun and Naruto are just going through some of their private stuff. It would be better to leave them alone for a moment, let's go over there and wait for some announcements."

"But they were fighting… I saw Naruto-kun attack my son." Mikoto protested.

"Leave them be, Mikoto." Fugaku said.

With her husband's few words, she was effectively silenced and she obeyed. Sakura had led them away from Naruto and Sasuke and left Hinata to control the two if they were going to go too far.

Sasuke straightened himself. "What the heck was that?"

"You idiot… the nerve! Suddenly leaving without my permission." Naruto growled. He threw another punch at Sasuke, but this time, his attack was blocked.

"I informed you the other day, didn't I? Why did you even come?" Sasuke argued. He pushed Naruto back but didn't counter.

"Now you want me to get the hell out of here when I'm already standing in front of you?" Naruto shot back. He grabbed Sasuke by the front shirt and pushed him against a huge pillar. "Why… Why didn't you tell it to me sooner? WHY? Everyone in the class knew you were leaving. They never mentioned anything. Even Sakura-chan never mentioned anything! Why did you keep it from me? Why was I the last one to know?" He shouted and gritted his teeth.

Sasuke glared directly at Naruto's mad eyes. This time, he didn't attempt to push him away. "Then what would you do if you were in my situation?" he replied coldly. "Would you tell me the right answer? The right move? The right thing to do that won't hurt someone?"

With Sasuke's question, Naruto was silenced effectively. For all these years, he thought he was doing everything for Sasuke's sake. He did, but not all the time. Just like this moment. He was so mad at Sasuke for not telling him that he would leave soon. If he was in his state, he would find it hardest to tell it to his best friend.

He wouldn't want to make him lonely.

He wouldn't want to hurt him.

After all, they've been together since Kindergarten. He now understood what Sasuke felt.

Goodbye is the hardest thing to say. Little corny there but it's true. Especially to the closest person in his life.

"You think I'm that weak?" finally, Naruto could find his words. "I know… you've been doing everything for me. To prevent me from reacting like this. You wouldn't want me to get hurt because of this. You too, are really foolish." Naruto laughed weakly. "I'm not going to cry over your departure and I'm not a kid anymore. I can do things without you!"

Sasuke scoffed. "Is that true? That's not what I think it is. You were even escorted by a girl to get here." He said.

"W-what was that?" Naruto felt embarrassed for some reason. He let go of Sasuke's shirt and turned his back to him. "I… forgive you. You're just embarrassed to say that you care for me, but I completely understand now why you did that."

"I'm not apologizing." Sasuke said as he fixed his collar. He regained his cool composure and glared at the quiet Hinata who was watching their argument all the time then shifted back to Naruto's direction. "I guess you're gonna be fine."

Naruto chuckled. "Of course, I am! Who do you think you're talking to?" he said proudly.

"To a snotty idiot who cried when he peed on his underwear by being scared off by a gorilla in the zoo." Sasuke answered effortlessly.

Naruto faced him with a fierce look. "I didn't cry back then! A dust entered my eyes!" he defended his pride.

"You're still an idiot, though."

"Only an idiot calls an idiot!"

"Then prove it."

"Oh, I sure will!"

"After twenty years, I suppose."

"What did you say?"

The back-and-forth argument continued. It even attracted other passengers, tourists and the security. Hinata had to make up an excuse to the guards so they won't have to ban Naruto. But, luckily, the voice system put a stop on the argumentation.

"_Flight 021, Konoha to Las Vegas, please aboard on the plane. I repeat, Flight 021, Konoha to Las Vegas, please aboard on the plane."_

A moment of silence occupied the two. There it is, the sign that Sasuke would leave.

Naruto never thought that five minutes would be so quick. In soccer games, five minutes was like an hour… in Chemistry class, five minutes was like a whole day. But now, it flew by so fast. And they both wasted it in a non-sense argument.

"Hey. Make sure you come back soon. Don't make Sakura-chan wait. Fuzzy brows would hit on her again." Naruto said.

"Ah." Sasuke answered.

"Sasuke. It's time to go." Fugaku called him.

"Yes." Sasuke replied. He took one last glance at Naruto, "You take care of her. Don't let her cousin get in the way." He gestured at the busy Hinata talking to the guards.

Naruto smirked. "Yeah. I will."

Sasuke turned his back and walked away. He made his direction where Sakura, Fugaku and Mikoto were. In the midst of his way, he halted for a second. He snatched something from his pocket and threw it backwards at Naruto.

Naruto caught it with his hands. It was a blue head band. It was the headband that Sasuke always used when there's a soccer match. The guy treasured it so much that he didn't let anybody freely touch it.

"Keep that. When I get back, I want it good as new." Sasuke said. "I would return to get that from you and get you for that punch."

"Sasuke…"

"Happy Birthday, dork."

He then continued his way and entered the passenger's section. Until he was out of sight, Naruto never took his eyes off him.

"Idiot." Naruto mumbled.

* * *

><p>Outside the airport was where Naruto and Hinata stood. They were staring up the clear sky and watching a plane flew by. They knew that that was Sasuke's flight. He was on that plane.<p>

Hinata looked at Naruto. She noticed that he was avoiding anyone's gaze as much as possible. He was still gripping firmly on the blue head band that Sasuke gave him.

"Umm… Is Naruto-kun crying?" she asked innocently.

Naruto was startled. "I-I'm not crying!" he defended his pride. Quickly, he wiped something off his eyes by the back of his hand.

Oh, for Pete's sake.

Hinata disregarded the fact that she did see tears from his eyes briefly. "Ummm… Today is Naruto-kun's birthday, right?" she said. She snatched something from her bag, "Here you go… it's not that big but… will you accept it?" she handed him a stuff toy which looked like a fox. A fox with nine-tails.

"This looks like Kyubi!" Naruto exclaimed as he accepted the present from the girl. He noticed that this was handmade. And one of its tails has a name embroidered on it. It was the Kanji of Naruto.

She did work hard for this gift.

He was happy. He was very happy that he had her with him.

"Thank you, Hinata. I like it." He grinned.

"Thank God…" Hinata sighed in relief and smiled at him.

Yeah. He would definitely be fine. This indeed was a different birthday. It's true that Sasuke left him, but… Hinata was still here. She wouldn't leave him, right? He would be fine…

Perfectly fine…

As long as she was beside him.

TO BE CONTINUED.

* * *

><p><strong>an:**

It's done! whew... this was an incredibly long chapter, isn't it? I wish I could make up for not updating for a month with this. :) Thank you for all the reviews as always! Thank you for staying with me even if I'm like this. I really appreciate all of you!

Please feel free to review.

And to tell one more thing... I couldn't believe I fell in love with SasuHina pairing! Oh my. While I was typing this, I was reading a SasuHina fic at the same time... for some reason, I suddenly fell in love with it. To tell you the truth, I wasn't a Sasuke Uchiha fan. I just didn't know why I liked the pairing. BUT! BUT... NaruHina is still the best for me! PEACE!

**VOCABULARY**

**Sou- really?; is that so?; I see**

**Doushita?- what's wrong?**

**Aho- idiot**

**Yappari ne- as expected**

**Chotto- wait**


	15. Chapter 15: A leading man's Promise

**a/n:**

Here comes the next chapter! Enjoy! Thank you so much for all your reviews. :))) Your reviews kept me going! I updated sooner! ^_^

**DISCLAIMER: We all know Masashi Kishimoto-sama owns everything in NARUTO. So yeah... all credits to him! If it weren't for him... there won't be a Naruto Uzumaki! WE LOVE YOU MASASHI KISHIMOTO-SAMA!**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 15: A Leading Man's Promise<strong>

*Slap*

"Come on, you sound like a man who was just threatened to reveal all of his love affairs!"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"REPEAT YOUR LINE!"

"I got it already, dattebayo! Just get your fan away from me!"

*Slap*

"Wrong! That's not in the script!" Ino Yamanaka, the director of the play, had hit Naruto's head again with the use of her paper fan. She then went down the stage and observed him.

Naruto took a deep breath once again to deliver the lines that he's been working on for several weeks now. Still, he didn't get any of them right. "I-I didn't know y-you were here." A pause. "I thought I'd never see y-you aggggain."

*SPLACK!*

"WORSE! It's worse than I thought!"

Ino threw the paper fan towards the great actor on the stage. It seemed she gathered all her strength on throwing her paper pan to manage Naruto to fall down the floor.

"_Itte!" _Naruto touched his aching forehead. He felt like his brain was just removed from his skull due to the strong impact of the paper—stone fan, rather that was delivered towards him. "What the heck? Why did you do that?"

Ino gently massaged her temples. "If Sasuke-kun was just here…" she mumbled and sighed in disbelief. "All right, we'll take a break for now. And you, Naruto!" she pointed at him with an exquisite glare. "Deliver your lines well or else! You'll be sorry."

Naruto gulped hard. He opened the page of the script and tried memorizing them. He had no problems in memorizing his lines actually, the only thing was; he never knew how to act. Acting was not in his vocabulary. Just how can he manage to do his role correctly?

"It's all right, Naruto-kun." Hinata, the leading lady of the play offered a hand to him. "People make mistakes and it's your first time leading a play, after all. It's all right to make mistakes sometimes." She smiled sweetly. "You'll do better in no time."

Naruto was glad to have her encourage him. If it weren't for her, he had already quitted this stupid play. He never wanted to participate in this in the first place. Ino had just stalked him before, during and after classes to convince him to be the lead role in the Christmas play. Of course he said "no" a million times but the director was persistent. And it came to the point that she had pushed his buttons. He was told that the leading lady was Hinata Hyuuga, and in a speed of light, he agreed with the director. He was also threatened that if he was to refuse, Inuzuka Kiba would take his place.

**NO WAY IN HELL. **

So, Naruto was here, suffering from the director's yells.

Fall has ended and winter has started after all. That means the start of the rehearsal. It was all Sasuke's fault. He's supposed to be the leading man on this play, not Naruto. But, he left Konoha and migrated to Las Vegas for good. So, Naruto was stuck here, doing the work that Sasuke was supposed to start and finish.

But.

_BUT._

All thanks to Hinata, he was working hard doing his role right.

Naruto took Hinata's hand and stood up.

"Let's continue practicing, okay?" She said.

"I'm fine by myself. You should take a break. I'm the one who's failing miserably here, not you. You deserve to take a break once in a while." Naruto said.

Hinata shook her head. "I-I'm Naruto-kun's partner in this play. You can't practice well if you're alone. We should rehearse together." She said shyly.

That's the problem. The reason why he forgets his lines was because of Hinata's presence. But, he had to get used to it now. If not, the play would be a disaster.

"Yeah… that would be a great idea." He grinned.

Hinata smiled. "_Demo… _Naruto-kun has to promise me one simple thing."

"Sure. What is it?" Naruto asked.

She paused and stared directly at his sky blue eyes. "Have you seen the movie of _A Walk to Remember_ several years ago? Did you know what Jaime said to Landon before they rehearsed the play?"

Naruto frowned. _Was that the promise?_ "Uhh… no?" he answered unsurely. He had heard that movie before but he had no idea what the story is all about. All he knew was it was drama. And he never liked drama.

"Don't fall in love with me." Hinata stated. "That's what Jaime said,"

"Huh?" Naruto blinked his eyes.

"So… promise me that Naruto-kun won't fall in love with me when we rehearse together." She cleared.

Naruto scoffed. "Is that it?" he shrugged his shoulders in a carefree manner. "I thought it was something so serious."

"It is." Hinata said softly. "Promise me, all right?"

Naruto raised a brow as if he didn't care. "Sure. No problem."

Hinata grabbed for her script. "Shall we begin?"

"Yeah." He said.

He thought that the promise was just easy to fulfill. But… he never knew that it was harder than he thought.

* * *

><p>Days have passed, Naruto was able to get some lines right. All credits to Hinata. They were practicing every day after school and Ino could say that Naruto had made a big progression. He was nailing the leading man's personality little by little. Well, the story was made by his grandfather, Jiraiya. Anko requested to make a play out of it. And here they are, practicing Jiraiya's work. Its title was the "Necklace of Love".<p>

Naruto was even surprised when he read the story… he knew how perverted his grandfather was. But, in this one story, there was no perverseness.

The story started from two undestined people. Namely Darren Miller who's portrayed by Sarutobi Asuma, and Cedrilyn Hope who's portrayed by Kurenai Yuhi. Darren was an army S-class soldier who was assigned to work with two other s-class soldiers, Henry Wright(Hatake Kakashi) and Robert Nadal(Maito Gai). The team were sent to a capital city, Jad, to prevent an upcoming war between two nations. The Holy City of Jad and Renvall. Encountering a lot of enemies along their way, the squad were forced to hide for a while. They were forced to hide in a hotel in the city of Altena, where Darren met Cedrilyn. She was a pianist who performs at the place every night. The moment Darren laid eyes on her; he was captivated by her beauty. Henry and Robert encouraged him to talk to her upon noticing his obvious crushing towards the beautiful lady. And, Darren, not wanting to look a wimp did what his team mates told him to. He was invited by Cedrilyn to have a drink in her room. There, Darren told her how beautiful she was. They shared each other's stories and found out that they shared one thing. A necklace. Both of them had received it on the same day, which was Christmas day. The two fell on love with each other. Sharing a kiss at the balcony, Darren was contacted by one of his allies; he was told that the army was looking for them all around the city. They were forced to leave as soon as possible. And so, Darren had left Cedrilyn, not wanting her to get involve in danger. He promised to come back, but the two never saw each other again since that night.

Years have passed, the war had ended. Cedrilyn was now married to General Marc Francis(Umino Iruka), together, they had a daughter named Carmina(Hyuuga Hinata). Cedrilyn died giving birth to her daughter and when Darren had heard about this, it gave him a great depression. Darren was married to Rina Reinhart(Shizune) for two years and they had a one-year old son named Darius(Uzumaki Naruto). Still, his love for Cedrilyn never died. Sixteen years have passed, Rina died due to a heart disease. This left the father and son heartbroken. In an early age, Darius left to find a cure. His father couldn't stop his desired.

And so, Darius traveled the across the country for years with his companions Scarlet Wright(Ten-ten) and David Nadal(Rock Lee). The time came when they stopped over the City of Altena, at the same hotel where their parents stayed, he had met Carmina. Carmina was a singer in the hotel, and her voice and charms captivated Darius. Unlike his father, he fearlessly approached the girl and told her how beautiful she was. He made friends with her and he always visited her in the hotel. When they fell in love with each other, Darius figured out that Carmina also had the same disease as his late mother. It was threatened that this Christmas… maybe her last Christmas. Darius did everything to save her. He planned to travel around the world again to find the cure, but was stopped by Carmina. She didn't want for him to go. She wanted for him to stay by her side until her last breath. That was her last wish. Every day, Darius took care of her. During one of his visits, they both found out that they shared the same single thing. A necklace that was given to them by their parents as a Christmas gift. That was the symbol of their love.

Darius kept praying and hoping that Carmina would survive. An operation was only the solution, but it was only 20% that it would succeed. Carmina had accepted the challenge, but Darius opposed. But she already made her decision. She would do anything to keep herself alive and she told him to trust her that she would not die no matter what.

Because seeing Darius kept her alive.

The day of the operation was in the morning of December 25. The operation lasted the whole day, and in the middle of the process, Carmina's heart stopped beating. The doctors could do nothing anymore, and Darius was shocked for everything that has happened. Once again, he was heartbroken. He let another loved one die. First, his mother… now, Carmina. He was guilty for not being able to do anything to save their lives.

Unbeknownst the doctor, her heart started beating again. The operation was successful. The doctors didn't know how it all happened. She sure died moments ago. Darius just thanked them and went quickly to Hinata. She said that a miracle did happen. In her dreams, her mother, Cedrilyn showed up and woke her up. That was the very first time she saw her mother. Indeed, Cedrilyn was with her ever since.

After years, Darius and Carmina got married. This was when they discovered that Darius's Father, Darren and Carmina's mother, Cedrilyn fell in love with each other deeply when they were still young. And until now, they still loved each other. Even if they weren't meant for each other, their love was passed on to their son and daughter.

An easy role for Naruto, right? Hinata could do her character well… but, how about Naruto? How could he manage to pull off a great performance out of that character? Could he cry on the spot? Could he remember his lines clearly? Could he not stutter?

Just more worries came in his mind as each day passed by. But, what troubled him most was Hinata's condition. She told him not to fall in love with her. He thought that that promise was easy to fulfill. He had no troubles accepting the deal and didn't pay much attention since it was **impossible **to happen. "Impossible." That's what he said. Now, he was regretting that he accepted the ordeal. Whenever he was with her, he could forget all his problems. Whenever he was with her, his heart was always beating fast. Whenever he was with her, he was always happy. He couldn't help but smile often. But, whenever she's not around, he kept looking for her. Whenever she's not around, it was not complete for him. It's like he couldn't take a day without seeing her.

Why is that? What the hell was that?

He once felt like this with Sakura. But, not as much as this. This was different.

He thinks of her.

He worries about her.

He mourns for her.

Hinata was the only one who made him feel that way…

Maybe… just maybe.

He was starting to…

He didn't even want to finish the thought.

"Naruto-kun… what's wrong?" the angelic voice stopped his world for a while.

He looked up and was face to face with her. Yup. He was right. It was the girl he was thinking of. His guess was right. No, he wasn't guessing. He knew from the start who owned that voice.

"Are you all right?" Hinata asked with a tone of anxiousness as she sat beside him on the bench.

Naruto mentally punched himself and threw away all of what he thought of earlier. "Y-yeah. Just having troubles with scene 21." He answered, but of course, it was a lie. He was not even touching the script in his bag.

Hinata grabbed or her script in her bag and opened it to scene 21. "We can rehearse this together. I think I'm also in this." She then read the page briefly. Then, pink shades formed on her cheeks as she fell silent.

"You okay?" Naruto's burrows furrowed and he glanced at the script's page.

It said:

_SCENE 21: ALONE IN THE SHADOWS_

Oops. Wrong move there, Naruto.

"U-ummm… if you want to r-rehearse this part… you can c-come over to our house." She offered nervously.

Naruto nearly fell off the bench. He blinked his eyes several times and asked, "Are you sure?"

Hinata nodded innocently. "I-I guess we just have to inform Shizune-san that we can't visit the orphanage today."

"Sure!" Naruto exclaimed. Wait, why was he suddenly getting excited? It's just Hinata's house. It's not particularly her house, it's Neji's house.

Neji's house.

Why did he agree so immediately?

Neji lives _THERE_.

Catastrophe awaits.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, 11am in Las Vegas…<p>

Sasuke was all alone at the veranda of his brother's house, talking with Sakura over the phone.

"Naruto's doing real good, you know! He's been practicing hard with Hinata for the Christmas play. He was really mad at you for leaving the role to him." He heard from the cheerful Sakura.

"Hn." Sasuke replied. As usual, a mono-syllabic word.

"It was all thanks to Hinata. Because of her, Naruto agreed to replace your role. They've been spending the day together… they really look cute! Just like a couple. I'm glad that Hinata was there to cheer him up."

Sakura blabbed things about Naruto and Hinata's daily lives. He kept listening to her and he was glad to hear that his best friend was doing fine.

The girl continued talking, but it came to the point that he didn't pay attention to her new stories anymore. It was about Lee, Kiba, Sai and the others. He didn't care about them at all. What he wanted to hear was how she was doing, not anybody else. But, she was not even going there. She kept blabbering about the lives of others, not hers.

"Sakura," He spoke, effectively stopping the girl's talk. "How are you doing?" he asked in a cold yet concerned ring.

"Oh… me?" There was a sudden pause from her. "O-of course, I've been doing very well. Ino has been accompanying me every after school and I've been busy with the tennis club… so, I guess it's normal." She said, trying to act all better.

Sasuke looked down. He knew that she was just trying to sound fine to him. But who does she think she was fooling? He was Uchiha Sasuke. An Uchiha. The Uchiha whom have known her since kindergarten. Her best friend, now her boyfriend. How could he not notice that she was just trying hard? He could feel what she feels. Maybe the sadness in him is more than the sadness in her. After all, he was alone in this big state.

"Hey… I'll come back. Just wait for me. I'll definitely come back." Sasuke's tone hardened.

"I know that… I believe you." She replied. "Besides, it's just one month since you got there. You should have fun and spend more time with your brother. Don't worry about me too much… our friends are still here." She paused. "And if you ever feel lonely and miss me… Just look at your phone. I've saved you a very special picture! You're gonna love it, I swear!"

"A picture you saved?" Sasuke frowned. "What's that?" It seemed he was not informed of the girl's stealth actions.

"See for yourself." Sakura giggled. "Oh, the captain is calling for me. Gotta go now… Call you again soon. I love you…"

"Yeah. Bye and…" Sasuke gulped.

Sakura was waiting patiently on the other line.

Sasuke scratched the back of his head and hopelessly leaned against a pillar. "I-love-you-too." He then ended the conversation. So straightforward. He said those words in less than a millisecond.

That was the very first time he ever spoke those words. He then checked the photo that Sakura discreetly saved in his phone. He quickly found it; it was entitled as "for Sasuke-kun. ". He didn't know why he suddenly felt nervous just seeing its filename. After a few seconds, he decided to view the picture. The photo flashed on his screen.

"This is…" he said in a low voice.

He was astounded when he saw that it was a photo of him and Sakura when they graduated Kindergarten. To be accurate, it was taken ten years ago. Sakura was clinging on his right arm with a cheerful expression, her right foot was lifted backward in a girly manner, while he was looking all frustrated since personal space for him was very important. He wasn't even looking at the camera. He could remember how cruel he was for telling Sakura how miserable the picture was and delete it as soon as possible. But, it was still here. Good as new. Now that they saw it again after several years, he could say that they suit each other. They're the perfect item.

"_Aho_." Sasuke mumbled as he smirked discreetly. He was about to close his mobile phone, abruptly, he felt someone lean close his back and took his cell phone from his hand.

"Ah, Sakura, right? I bet she's a beauty now." Said by the guy who stole the phone.

"Give that back to me, Itachi." Sasuke growled.

Itachi smirked in a playful yet cool manner. "I see… she's your girlfriend now. I never you'd have a girlfriend. I never thought she would be your girlfriend."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sasuke glared at him.

"Never expected that a guy like you can find the ideal girl for your love life." Itachi teased as he flicked his younger forehead with his two fingers. Sasuke hated him for doing that. "If I was just staying in Japan… she could have been mine."

Itachi received a famous glare of an Uchiha from Sasuke."Don't you dare think about it." The younger lad said in a serious tone.

The older Uchiha laughed at his brother's reactions. "Don't take it so seriously." Itachi chuckled, he then wrapped an arm around Sasuke. "So, when did you two become a couple? Mind telling me your love story?" he teased.

Sasuke shoved Itachi violently. "That's none of your business." He took back his phone and decided to set off.

"It concerns me because I'm your brother." Itachi stated, "Plus, I can teach you some lessons about girls. I know you're an emo-guy who knows nothing about what a girl wants and what a girl needs… since you're my brother, you don't have to be shy around me. I'm here to help." He smiled in a playful manner.

Sasuke kept his temper cool. But, no matter how hard he tried to keep his composure, Itachi continued giving him more insults. And he couldn't take it anymore. "So… can you tell me what you and your girlfriend were fighting over the other day? She's still mad at you, right? You were trying to contact her but she kept rejecting and ignoring your calls." He said with a sadistic smile.

Itachi's eyebrow nearly twitched. "That's none of your business, my brother." He replied, recollecting the bitter argument he had with his girlfriend that completely gave him a great depression for making her mad like that.

"Why? Couples can't avoid fighting, right? I want to know what they usually fight over." Sasuke insisted.

Itachi gave Sasuke a smack on the head. "Let's talk about this later." He then left the site, going back inside the house and reaching for his mobile phone in his pocket. He looked somewhat embarrassed and pissed.

The younger Uchiha watched his honorable brother leave. When Itachi was back inside, Sasuke mentally laughed for his triumph. He may not look like it but, he could be childish at times too.

* * *

><p>"What is your business here?"<p>

The usual realistic and cool Neji stood by the front door with his arms crossed over his chest, glaring intensely at Hinata's unwanted visitor. Uzumaki Naruto. His eyes even fiercer as if telling Naruto to leave already even if he and Hinata just arrived.

Hinata got between them and broke the glaring competition. "N-ni-san! Like I told you, we're here to practice the play." She said.

Neji turned his gaze to her. "I believe I wasn't talking to you." He turned back to the nervous Naruto. "Is that the only reason?"

Naruto didn't know why he was feeling inferior of Neji. He was sort of scared, too. And of all people, with Neji.

_Come on, keep it together, man!_

"A-ah." He answered. He just hoped he didn't sound that scared. Well, the situation for him was like a father confronting his daughter's lover. Neji was the scary father; Hinata was the good daughter and, Naruto was the foolish lover.

"See? You have nothing to worry about." Hinata ensured her cousin.

"All right. I'm allowing you to rehearse." Neji approved, "But."

"But?" Naruto blinked his eyes.

"You are forbidden to step inside this mansion until I tell you. You are only permitted to access to the garden where the maids and butlers could keep an eye on you. Am I understood?" Neji glared harder at Naruto. "I'm watching you closely. Don't you dare to attempt something foolish or else you're dead." He turned his back from him and loudly shut the door. They could hear his heavy steps from the inside as he walked away.

Hinata bowed apologetically before Naruto. "I'm sorry, Naruto-kun. That's a policy running in our family… I can't let you go inside until they allow you to," she explained.

"Yeah, I'm fine by that." He replied. That was no problem to him at all. He knew that this was coming… it was Neji after all.

"This way, please." Hinata went down the pavement and led the way towards the garden.

Naruto observed the surroundings. So, this was where a Hyuga lives. He thought that they would be more of like an old-fashioned family. Having old-fashioned houses like from the Edo era or Meiji era. But, he was completely wrong of what he had thought of their shelter. Instead of fish ponds with _Kois _and Shoji doors, he could see squared-tiles on the grassy ground and tall pine trees grown at the high fences surrounding the household. There were no flowers around since winter season had started. Not far from the mansion was the green house.

"This is where we are only allowed to stay. The walls maybe made of glass, but it's warm here because of the heater controlling the lukewarm temperature for the tropical plants." Hinata said.

"_Suge_… As expected from a Hyuuga." Naruto complimented.

Hinata smiled warmly. "Hizashi-oji-sama built this greenhouse. Neji-ni-san and I used to play here when we were little kids. But now… not anymore because he didn't like going here." She said as she sat down the wooden bench.

"Eh? Why is that? That's such a waste." Naruto frowned.

"My family migrated to London and both of us got separated when we started to get along with each other. You know, when we were still kids, he never paid attention to me at all. He treated me coldly and I was sad about it… I thought that he really hated me. But, thanks to Hizashi-oji-sama's help, we were able to become good friends. It was here… when we became really attached to each other. I found out that he just felt insecure about me because I was from the main family and he was only from the branch. Treatment between the family members are different in the main and branch…"She paused. "But, I didn't care if Neji-ni-san was from the branch family… all I cared about was he was my beloved cousin."

Naruto suddenly felt a sting in his chest. He didn't know where that came from.

"I didn't want to leave him behind… He was the only friend I had because my father forbade me to interact with others for my safety. But, I could do nothing to stop our migration in London. I wasn't there when he was going through the hardest time of his life." Hinata said softly as she gently cascaded the surface of the old-looking bench.

"The hardest time of his life?" Naruto asked. He didn't know why he suddenly got interested in the royal jerk's life story. So, yeah. He asked about what that "hardest time" meant that the fearless Neji faced.

"Two weeks before our migration… Hizashi-oji-sama, Neji-ni-san's father… passed away." Hinata said in a gloomy tone. "Hizashi-oji-sama left a lot of memories in this place. Neji-ni-san stopped coming here since it reminds him of his father… Oji-sama spent a lot of time playing with us even though his schedule was hectic. We really are blessed to have him in our lives." Her voice got softer, "It was my fault that he… died."

Naruto went beside her and placed a supportive hand on her shoulder. "Hey, if it's hurting you… You don't have to continue it. Sorry for asking such questions…"

Hinata shook her head. "I'm fine." She returned a smile. "But… even if Neji-ni-san looks strong and strict… he's still lonely inside. He just doesn't show it to anyone but he has his own weaknesses, too. He may be a prodigy and a genius, but he's still a normal human with emotions. People often misjudge him by his looks and attitude, but he's not a bad person. I'm really thankful to have him as my cousin…"

Naruto sat down beside her and retrieved his hand. Suddenly, he felt somewhat bad for hearing the maiden's thought about her noble cousin. He knew that he was one of those people whom Hinata mentioned that often misjudge Neji, he wasn't regretting that though, and he never will. But, hearing Hinata's words made him feel really bad and he didn't know why. It's not the misjudging thing… it's just… she was thankful to have that jerk as her cousin. That's the part where his heart clenched solemnly.

Jealousy?

Was that jealousy?

He was jealous because Neji was so special to Hinata and he was just nothing but a classmate…? But, she once told him that he was more than a friend now because he had rescued her when Kankuro attempted to kidnap her.

Yes. That's right. Naruto was the one who protected her when Kankuro planned to kidnap her.

And where was Neji back then?

Not there at all. **USELESS**.

Thinking of how heroic he was when he saved Hinata made him feel a little bit better. At least he was there when Neji was absent.

But…

Was that enough to make him more special than Neji?

He sighed in frustration. "Why does it have to be that way?"

"Eh?" Hinata gave him a confused look.

"Oh, nothing. Just thinking aloud." Naruto said. How could he just forget that the girl he was thinking of was just right beside him? How far can he be so careless? To avoid another heart-to-heart conversation about Neji, he decided to break the ice and proceed with their main objective.

"Let's start, shall we?" he requested.

"Ah! Yes… Sorry for the delay." She apologized again. They both turned the page of the script to scene 21 which Naruto unfortunately and accidentally said he had problems about.

Scene 21: Alone in the Shadows

This was the part when Carmina invited Darius in her hotel room to have a chat with him. But, due to the thunderstorm that night, the lightning badly destructed a machine that controls the electricity of the hotel, resulting for a black-out. Carmina was afraid of the darkness so she quickly hugged Darius without hesitations and without in the right way of thinking. She would cry on his arms and would tell him not to leave her all alone because she was afraid. Darius would feel her fear and would feel sorry for her. He would envelop her with his strong arms and make sure that she'll be okay as long as he was beside her.

Kind of a hard scene for the both of them.

So, here it goes.

ACTION!

"Please, feel at home, Darius." Hinata began.

"Yeah. Thanks." Naruto, as Darius, replied. In this part, he would sit on her bed but got embarrassed since this was the first time he came inside a lady's room. So he remained near the door.

Hinata giggled harmonically. "Come in. We can't chat if you're by the door." She took him by the hand and led him inside.

Naruto slightly blushed as he felt the contact. Her hands were soft and smooth compared to his rough ones.

On the other side, Hinata felt embarrassed too. But, this was for the play. _For the play. For the play._

"Have a drink, please." She offered.

"Y-you're too kind, miss Carmina." He said. More of like he stuttered.

At this part they would have tea, and then after some minutes there would come the short circuit.

"Kyaaah!" Hinata screamed. She went close to Naruto as quick as lightning and buried her face into his chest.

**Tug. Tug. Tug.**

Naruto literally froze on his spot. He couldn't control the mad beats of his heart. She smelled nice… Her head smelled like a peach blossom and her body was warm. He just hoped she couldn't feel his uncontrollable beats.

Crap. He forgot his lines. His brain couldn't function well and he couldn't find the lines he had to say even if he could clearly see his script on the right page. Nothing was registering in his mind.

"Don't leave me…" She started shaking as if she was really scared. "I don't like the dark… Don't leave me alone…"

It felt so real for Naruto. Her acting skills were excellent.

But for him… it wasn't acting. Every little thing felt so real.

Her cries, her shivers and her words… he was taking it seriously.

Somehow, Naruto could now remember what he was supposed to do. Whether it was in the script or not, he would do it to take the fear out of Hinata. He voluntarily enveloped her in his arms, trapping her fragile body in a tight embrace. He hugged her as if his life depended on her.

When Hinata felt this, she numbly dropped her script on the floor. She involuntarily blushed harder.

"Don't worry. I won't ever leave you. You don't have to be afraid anymore… You'll be fine as long as I'm here." He whispered to her ear. "I'll be here always…" this time, his voice was calm and sure. He knew his lines even though he had never read the script. He just wanted to let her know that…

That…

That…

What?

No… he was still confused.

He had to make sure before he tells her.

Both of them stayed like that for the moment. It was just so sweet and touching to be broken.

Naruto didn't want to let her go since this was very rare to happen between the two of them.

Hinata didn't want to let go since she didn't know what to do next.

But, thanks to someone, they were able to get separated easily.

"You… How dare you…" a devilishly dark aura appeared behind Hinata and Naruto. Before Naruto could escape, the guy had already sent him flying by using his gentle fist style. Poor Naruto was thrown outside, landing on the empty flower pots.

Hinata gasped in astonishment, "Na… Naruto-kun!" she exclaimed.

"You are never to step in this compound again! You are never to touch my cousin!" Neji declared. He was completely flared up by seeing the situation. He even had a spoiled tea on his white shirt, well, he saw Naruto hugging Hinata in the midst of his afternoon tea break. He choked, resulting for a _faux pas, _and in the speed of the wind, he ran all the way here to stop Naruto's intentions.

"Ni-san! We were just rehearsing for the play! Please, don't jump to conclusions." Hinata defended and went to the nearly unconscious Naruto.

Neji disregarded her reasons and advanced towards Naruto.

Naruto was alerted. Before the Hyuuga prodigy could seize him, he quickly stood up and…

Ran away.

He ran away. Smart move.

"Come back here! You are dead!" Neji shouted as he chased after the scaredy cat.

"Like hell I'd come back!" Naruto stuck his tongue out as he continued fleeing. Deep inside, he was majorly laughing. That was the very first time he saw the cool Hyuuga Neji snap and lose his temper. That was epic. History. Legend.

Maybe this moment was one of his most unforgettable moments in his life.

He was surprised to himself, too. Usually, he would fight back whenever someone punches him in the air. Especially if it would be Neji. But… no. He just ran away and thought of this as a fun thing.

For once, he forgot that he wanted to beat Neji into a pulp. Instead, he had fun teasing the so-called genius. Maybe the long-haired jerk is not that bad. Maybe they could get along sometimes.

Thanks to Hinata, Naruto found out that he and Neji shared one similar thing.

They both lost their father.

Oh, and one more thing.

They care for Hinata.

TO BE CONTINUED.

* * *

><p><strong>an:**

More NaruHina moments! :) So umm... the concept of the story of the play wasn't really originally from me. I have searched random stories in the net and put them all together. But, the setting was mainly from video games and FFVIII. The passed on love thing was from Laguna Loire and Julia Heartilly in FFVIII. (You don't know how much I cried when they didn't end up with each other) Julia had married another man because she never saw Laguna again, and she had a daughter named Rinoa. She died in a car accident, unfortunately. TT^TT And Laguna had a son with his beloved wife Raine and they had Squall. :D And so, Rinoa and Squall continued their love story! I just love FFVIII and the other FFs! Also, only the names are originally from me.

DARIUS AND CARMINA. :)))

And... I've got some bad news. *sigh* Since I'm going to be a senior next school year, I had to go to review classes for entrance exams for my college. It would start on the day after tomorrow. I know it sucks but, yeah. I'll find a way and time to update! Stay with me please? You are my strength!

Please Review. Thank you!

**VOCABULARY**

**Itte!- ouch! That hurts!**

**Demo - but**

**Aho- idiot**


	16. Chapter 16: The night before the play

**a/n:  
><strong>

*crawls* I sincerely apologize for not updating... *coughs* the review class is finally finished! And I came back ALIVE!

Here I present... chapter 16! Enjoy. (By the way, I improvised the summary. ^^)

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO. (I missed typing this.)**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 16: The Night before the Play<strong>

_Girls' Room_

"Aaah! You're so cute Hinata!"

"It suits you well!"

"I wish I could wear this like you do."

Hinata kept blushing at Sakura's, Ten-ten's and Ino's compliments. Her dress just came a few moments ago, and once she informed them that she had gotten it, the girls commanded her to wear it in a flash. She was to wear the dress at her performance number in the middle of the play. It was white in color and it had ribbons to zip her back. A large bow was attached on the left portion of her waist, since she was a conservative girl, the upper part of the dress was bottled neck and white floral buttons kept it attached. A white shawl was also part of the design, and the whole dress reached her ankles. Her shoes were also pure white, making her two-inches taller than her original height but not enough to be as tall as her leading man.

"Now I know why Naruto agreed to do his part." Sakura touched her chin as she winked at the other girls.

Ten-ten and Ino agreed.

Hinata was left confused.

"What do you mean?" the maiden in white asked innocently.

"Oh, nothing!" Sakura giggled at Hinata's response.

Ten-ten wrapped an arm around Hinata and leaned closer to her ear. "You know, it's all thanks to Sasuke. If he were here, you wouldn't be able to be the leading lady." She whispered, but loud enough to be heard by Sakura and Ino, "Sakura will definitely volunteer to take the part. Remember, no one dares to mess with her Sasuke-kun. Ino also did a huge role here since Kakashi-sensei's second option of who'd replace Sasuke was Shikamaru. Sheesh, she was furious! I didn't know what she said to Kakashi-sensei to make him back Shikamaru out at once."

"I-is that true?" Hinata's eyes widened.

Ten-ten nodded as if to prove herself that she made a great discovery.

"What are you guys blabbering about there?" Sakura looked at them skeptically. Of course, she heard everything that Ten-ten said. The girl with twin buns never knew what a whisper meant.

Ten-ten stuck out her tongue,"_Hi-mi-tsu." _She syllabicated.

Sakura glared harder at Ten-ten.

"Ah!~ I wonder who'll come to watch our play next week…" Ino interrupted to avoid the non-sense argument. Her eyes sparked dreamily as she imagined well-respected people coming to watch the school play. "Of course, there would be Naruto's grandfather, Jiraiya-sama! Then Tsunade-kochou, Orochimaru-sama…"

The blond continued. "Oh! And Hinata's father, Hiashi-sama!"

All the girls turned to Hinata with amazement on their faces.

"Of course, Hiashi-sama would come! Hinata is the leading character after all!" Sakura exclaimed.

"That's right! Finally, I'll be able to see the one person that Neji's been afraid of ever since." Ten-ten said.

"Ten-ten? Seriously? You just want to see the person who scares Neji-san?" Ino blankly stared at her with blue eyes.

"Of course! Neji is a brave and strong person, you know. He's a great martial artist prodigy who won consecutive national tournaments and the reigning black-belter! Who would imagine that a guy like him is afraid of one certain person? So, I wanna see how Hinata's father looks like. He must have some sort of monster-like appearance that could make Neji shudder!" Ten-ten explained, her tone making this a complete big deal.

Sakura elbowed her on the ribs, "Idiot!" she gritted her teeth. "Why won't you just admit that you had a major crush on him since you met him?"

"Anyways! We're expecting to see him, Hinata! It would be an honor to see him at the audience alongside Jiraiya-sama." Ino smiled.

Hinata smiled unsurely, "_H-hai… _me too." She said.

"I hope to see him, too…" she whispered to herself.

* * *

><p><em>4.00pm at the orphanage<em>

"Hinata-neechan? Ne, Hinata-neechan!"

A hand waved in front of her face that definitely ruined her deep thinking. She snapped back to reality and faced back at Konohamaru who was asking for her attention.

"_Gomen, _do you need something, Konohamaru-kun?" Hinata asked with a sweet smile.

"Nothing really. What's wrong with you, neechan? You've been spacing out the whole afternoon. Do you feel okay?" Konohamaru asked concernedly.

"I'm fine," she assured him. "I was just thinking of some things… don't worry." She patted his shoulder and fixed his loose scarf.

Konohamaru blinked. "What kind of things? Are you worried about the school play?" he sat next to her.

"Well, sort of. You see, it's nee-chan's first time doing a play in front of many people. So, I'm quite nervous." She explained.

"Don't be! You'll do fine! As long as it's you, the play will definitely be a success!" Konohamaru said proudly. "We will be there to support you and Shizune-neesan!"

Hinata smiled warmly. "Arigato, Konohamaru-kun. I feel much better." She said, "You run along now and play with the others."

"You come with us, too." Konohamaru invited.

"Yes, I'll catch up later. Nee-chan just has to rest for a moment." Hinata replied.

"Okay!" Konohamaru grinned and ran back to the play ground.

Hinata let out a tired sigh as she watched Konohamaru dash away. What she told him earlier was not the real reason why she was worried. It's true that she was nervous about her first lead role, but one thing made her worry more. To be certain, a person.

Her father.

She hadn't told him yet about her whole participation. Hanabi knew it but she told her to not mention anything to their father. Hanabi was also the one who told her that Hiashi has been very busy with work that he rarely came home for dinner. So, in the end, Hinata didn't inform her noble father yet, because she didn't want to bother him in his work.

The wind blew gently at her. The wind was now colder since winter season had started few weeks ago. She felt her hands shiver in the coldness and it came to her mind that she forgot to wear her gloves. To reduce the chillness, she blew on her closed fists to make it feel warmer. As she exhaled more air, she could clearly see the form of her breath.

Then she felt a gentle slump on her shoulder all of a sudden. An orange jacket sheltered her from the chill.

"It's cold here." She looked up once she heard the familiar voice. "Why are you here outside? The forecast said that it would snow this afternoon, so you should keep yourself warm inside." Naruto said.

"Well, the children wanted to play with the snow. I'm here to watch over them until Shizune-san comes back." She replied.

Naruto sat beside her and watched over the children, too. "Are you okay?"

Hinata nodded slightly. "Yes… I'm just thinking of some things."

"Why? Is someone bothering you?" He asked. "Speak his name. I'll beat him up for you. I'm a great fighter!"

"No. It's nothing like that!" Hinata gestured her hands back and forth, "It's just… otou-sama." She said in a weak voice.

Naruto felt a little relieved. "So, what's with your father?" He frowned.

"Ummm… Well… I haven't told him yet about the school play. My sister knows but… I told her not to tell anything to father." She replied sadly.

"Why is that? I'm sure he'll be glad to find out?" He said unsurely. He didn't know why he had that tone of voice.

"Otou-sama is a very busy person… He doesn't have time to leave his work and I wouldn't want to be a bother, too. He might get mad at me." She said softly. "It's fine if he can't make it to the play… I don't want to get in his way anymore since everything I give him has been always troubles…"

"Oh, come on. You think inviting him is trouble? You know, parents give time to their children too. The old Hyuuga—I mean your father might be busy at his company or museum or whatever he calls it but, I'm sure he'll make time for you."Naruto encouraged her. "You just have to communicate with him. Try to convince him since it was your first time—also my first time participating in this kind of activity."

"I-I don't know…" Hinata looked down.

The blond gave her a pat on her back. "Just try, dattebayo." He grinned at her.

Hinata lifted her head up and met face to face with him. There it was… the heart-warming smile from the first friend she had ever made. Her heart started beating fast again and colours appeared on her cheeks. She shifted her gaze and looked down on her lap to hide her once pale-colored cheek which just turned red from him. Why was she always feeling like this when he's around? He was the only one who could make her feel those unexplainable emotions, and she had never felt those in her entire life. At times she felt disturbed; he was the only one who could give her full comfort. Neji was always there for her, though. But when it comes to Naruto… it was different.

"Okay… I'll try." She said as she felt the warmth of his jacket around her.

"Great!" Naruto's grin grew wider and he removed his hand from her shoulder.

Then, an awkward silence stood between the two.

After a minute or so, Naruto decided to break the ice by introducing a new topic.

"So… uhhh… What do you think of Kiba?" he asked out of the blue. He had that scornful look on his face.

Hinata was astounded by his sudden question, "K-Kiba-kun?" she stuttered.

Naruto looked at the farthest object he could see as he vaguely scratched the back of his head. "Y-yeah." He paused. "Well, he's been trying to get your attention every day, if you know that. And he always asks you some personal questions and you answer him without hesitations. Neji is not completely bothered whenever _that guy_ gets close to you… and it seems that… he knows a lot of things about you. Were you friends with him? Have you met him before?" he stopped himself for saying: _Have you met him way before me? _He was just eager to find out whether she starts to like Kiba or not. Or what Kiba meant to her.

Was he just a classmate?

An old friend?

Or… even more than a friend?

Hinata gulped hard, she felt like she was going on an interrogation. "I-I-I don't know. I have never made friends with anyone ever since I was a child. All I had with me is my cousin… and my father forbade me to talk with other people so I was always alone. But, I could feel that I had met him before. He knows me… but I can't remember him."

Naruto stared down, "Oh, I see. You did meet him before me." He said in a soft voice.

"Eh?" Hinata blinked cutely.

Naruto shook his head. "Forget I asked those things. Come on, let's join those snotty kids. Asuma-taichou might probably think that I'm slacking again." He hoisted himself up and ran towards the play ground.

Hinata was left sitting on the bench with his jacket keeping her warm. She knew she heard him right… She knew that he sounded upset and… jealous.

* * *

><p><em>8.00pm Hyuuga Household<em>

Hinata was sitting on her bed and staring nervously at the cell phone in between her hands. On her screen displayed the contact number of her father and both of her thumbs were settled at the call button of her mobile. She never moved an inch when she got into that position thirty minutes ago after finishing dinner.

She took her final deep breath and decided to push the call button with all her courage. She anxiously brought the phone over her ear and counted each ring she could hear.

After five or six rings, her father finally picked up.

"Hinata?" His ever cold, stern voice rang in her eardrum. But she completely missed hearing it. It has been already five months since they last saw each other.

"What is it? What made you call? Is everything all right?"

She then came to realize that she wasn't able to speak for a moment. Oh, she shouldn't have done that. She can't waste her father's time.

"Ummm… everything's fine. Sorry about that, 'tou-sama… I just missed your voice. That's all." She said.

"Sorry that I couldn't visit you yet. I wished to… but I am very busy with work." Hiashi said.

"I understand that, father. Just don't tire yourself too much, okay?"

"Yes. I always keep that in mind. You take care of yourself too, understood?"

"_Hai_."

Hiashi cleared his throat. "So, what made you call all of a sudden? Is something bothering your thoughts?"

_Here it goes ._Hinata took a deep breath. "Well… actually—" when she was about to start her invitation and explanation, she heard a voice of a woman calling her father.

"President, the meeting will proceed in five minutes. We shall go now."

Hinata heard that.

"Clear. Just lend me a minute." Her father fed back. "I'm sorry about that, Hinata. I have another meeting to attend to. What is it you were saying again?"

"Oh… I-I mean… I-I just wanted to hear how you are doing, that's all. I'm glad that you're doing well." She stammered. "Sorry for the inconvenience."

"All right. I'll call you soon when I get a free time. Always go to Minato-sensei for your daily check-up."

"I will. Good bye…" she then ended the line.

In the end, she couldn't do it at all. How naïve she was.

* * *

><p>How fast time went by for Naruto. It seemed like it was yesterday when they began the rehearsal, and now, it was already the day before the night of the Christmas play. December 22 was the date now. Tomorrow is the big night. It was 12.00pm when Naruto couldn't fight the disturbance he was feeling anymore. He was nervous, excited, anxious and completely bothered by the event for tomorrow. He had an intuition of he might forget his lines or might forget what he must do.<p>

Playing in front of huge crowd of soccer fans was definitely different from being watched by theatrical audience.

He was just finished having his lunch, and he decided to get rid of this disturbance. He knew one person who could ease his troublesome feelings. It was only her whom he wanted to see_. BADLY._

It was 12.30 when he reached the Hyuuga Household. He was standing by the porch, and planning to press the doorbell. First, he hesitated to press it for it might be Neji who opens the door. But what could he expect from an overprotective cousin?

_DING DONG._

He pushed it.

After waiting a couple of seconds, the front door opened revealing the person he expected to see.

Hyuuga Neji.

The Hyuuga stood there again, acting as if he was Hinata's father. A scene came familiar in Naruto's mind again. Naruto was asking for Hinata's hand, Neji was the father who was interrogating and figuring out if his daughter deserves this kind of guy. Oh, how he was enjoying this.

"It's you again." The cold-blooded Neji threw those words. There was the dreadful glare, even if Naruto just came, he was already asked to leave in a telepathy mode.

"I came to see Hinata." The blond said.

"For what reason?" Neji narrowed his eyes.

"For the _play._" Naruto had to emphasize that word for clearance.

"Wait here." Neji commanded. He shut the door swiftly before turning away.

Naruto couldn't believe how patient he really was. He always had the chance to beat that jerk up, but he always let the guy get away. He is such a nice person.

After a minute or two standing at the porch, Hinata finally appeared from the door.

"N-Naruto-kun? _Doushita no_?" she asked.

Naruto was out of words. This was the very first time he was her on her usual house-look. Her hair was tied in a low bun with few black strands falling on the nape of her neck; she wore a thick grey sweater (that obviously looked like her cousin's sweater), and tight pants that occupied the lower half of her body. Very casual, still it looked good and neat when she carries it.

He disregarded all the compliments he thought of and got down to his purpose. He coughed on his fist, "Can we rehearse today?"

Hinata tilted her head. "We will rehearse again? But you said that you would be fine without rehearsals in weekends."

"Uh… yeah, I said that. But… tomorrow's the play. We shouldn't get carried away, 'ttebayo." Naruto said.

Hinata giggled softly. "Are you nervous, Naruto-kun?"

Naruto felt embarrassed. She hit the jackpot. How could she do that? How could she see through him like open doors? Was he that obvious?

He didn't say a word for response.

"Wait a moment, please. I will just get my script and we'll practice. Just tell me what scene we need to do." She stated, and then she went back inside the house and turned to an open passage at the right. Unlike Neji, she left the door open.

From where Naruto was standing on, he could see a small portion of the inside of the mansion. It was clean, presentable and classy, just like what he and his grandfather had. The flooring was built with blue tiles, a red carpet settled on the path, roses in vases were displayed by the wall and some abstract paintings hung on the wall. Every day, Hinata walked here.

Yep. That's what he was thinking.

Then along the abstract paintings was a signature of the same person.

It said Hizashi H.

Hizashi H.?

Probably Hizashi Hyuuga.

Naruto heard that name once. If he were correct, Hizashi Hyuuga was Hinata's deceased uncle and Neji's late father. He wasn't surprised or anything… this was where Neji and his family lived after all.

"Sorry to keep you waiting…" she finally came back. "Shall we go?"

Naruto nodded.

Hinata closed the door behind her and they both went to where Naruto was only allowed to go.

The greenhouse. Where else?

He and she sat down on their usual places and discussed about the play for tomorrow night.

"What scene is troubling Naruto-kun?" She asked,

Naruto vaguely scratched his cheek. "Well… actually, it's not that really." He smirked playfully, "I lied earlier. The real reason why I came here is to only see you… not anything about the play."

Hinata scooted a little away from Naruto. She covered her eyes with her bangs and hugged her script to her chest.

"N-N-Naruto-kun w-wanted to see me?" she stuttered as her cheeks flushed.

"Yeah, I really don't know why but… when I'm with you, I feel really comfortable and better." He replied shyly.

Blushing alert. Hinata is about to explode in bashfulness.

Naruto quickly noticed this, "Hey, Hinata? You okay?" he inched closer to her. He placed a hand on top of her forehead to examine her temperature. "Your face is red. Are you ill?"

Due to the girl's reflexes, she and Naruto bumped heads. Actually, she was the only one who bumped his head.

Naruto nearly fell off the bench due to the impact Hinata exerted. He sure got dizzy for a moment. Man, she's a tough ol' bird. He was thankful that he had his hand covering her forehead, if not… he might be in coma right now. For a moment, both of them endured the pain on their foreheads.

"G-gomenasai…" Hinata spoke and bowed her head.

"Y-yeah… nothing to worry about." Naruto gave her a thumbs-up to ensure the girl that he was fine. Of course, he couldn't show her that he was in pain. That would be way too uncool and would ruin his image as a cool guy.

"I'm really sorry…" she said once again.

"It's fine. I'm telling you." He repeated.

And then, silence occupied the greenhouse.

Hinata felt really embarrassed for what she had done to the lad. She bumped his head. For short, they head-butted each other and it was all her fault. He was just trying to check on her temperature, but what had she done to return his kindness? She attacked him with her forehead! What a nice thing to do. She wanted to correct what she did, but she didn't know how to. He just came to see her personally, the play not involved, and he wanted comfort from her. According to him, she was the only one whom he wanted to see when he felt disturbed. That she was the only one who could help him. But… she totally ruined that great image of her by accidentally—_accidentally_—bumping heads with him.

Oh, how she wanted to get swallowed by the black hole.

"Your father…" Naruto broke the awkwardness. "Is he coming for the play tomorrow?" he began a new topic to let her forget all about the head-butt.

"Oh… that…? H-he's not coming…" Hinata looked down.

Naruto glanced at her. "What? But why? You called him last time, right?"

Hinata nodded. "Yes… but I wasn't able to tell him…"

"You… didn't tell him? You haven't told him yet? The play is tomorrow, you should tell him." Naruto said.

"I planned to tell him when I made the call… when I was about to tell him, the secretary interrupted and said that he had another meeting to attend to. So, I've decided not to tell him that night. The next time I called, he didn't answer and his secretary told me that father couldn't be bothered at the time." She paused. "In the end, I wasn't able to invite him. It's fine, though. I understand that he's very busy and doing his best for the sake of the company and the museum."

"And you just gave up? Knowing that he was busy, you just gave up on telling him?" Naruto was slightly annoyed.

"I-I want to tell him! But… I don't want to bother him anymore." Hinata said back.

Naruto leaned back and scratched the back of his head. "That's the problem with you. You lack self-confidence! You're very shy and timid. You give up things you don't even try to do. Come on, he's your father! Don't think that he'd be bothered by you… or you'll regret it later. I'm sure that he'll very proud and happy that his daughter is the leading lady of the play."

"But I…"

Naruto rose from his seat and offered her a hand, "Come with me."

"Eh?" Hinata blinked in surprise.

"Your father's museum is located at the next city, right? We'll go there and you'll invite him to watch the play!" Naruto grabbed her hand and dragged her with him.

Hinata pulled away, but not able to snatch her hand back. They halted for a moment.

"We can't go there. It's far and it's impossible that he's there right now. He's usually out of town." Hinata reasoned. Naruto could see the hesitation in her eyes.

"Just why the hell are you hesitating? What's pulling you back? We're just going to try. If he's not there, then I'll get you back here safely. But, what if he's there? Then that's much better, right? At least we tried. Have more confidence in yourself and don't be scared." Naruto said.

"B-but—"

"Aaaargh! No more buts! We are going to the museum, see the Darius Gem and convince your father to watch the play!" Naruto insisted. Due to his persistency, he lifted Hinata from the ground and carried her in his arms like a bride.

"Wai—what are you doing?" Hinata tried to break free.

Naruto didn't plan to lose. He held her tightly to the point that she can't go down on her own. Still, the girl struggled.

"Put me down, please! I—"

"Don't move too much! We'll both fa—"

"You need not to carry me, I can—"

"Stop moving! If you don't, when we fall, I'll make sure that I get to kiss you like you've never been kissed before!"

With his last words, that effectively stopped the girl from struggling. She fell silent and her cheeks began to have million shades of unknown red.

Naruto sighed in relief. Somehow, he saved both of them from experiencing that fall. And the kiss thing? He didn't even see that coming. It just… all of a sudden… came out of his mouth. Nevertheless, she stopped moving.

"Let's go." He said.

Naruto raced down the greenhouse carrying Hinata in his arms.

As they ran down at the front of the mansion, he called out for Neji who was reading a book by the porch.

"I'm borrowing her for a while! We'll be back later!" He exclaimed.

Neji dropped the book on the floor as he stood up rapidly from his wooden chair.

"Oi! Uzumaki! Where are you taking my cousin?" he shouted.

"To her father! Don't you try following us or I'll never take her back in this place!" Naruto fed back as he accelerated through the gates.

"You've got to be kidding me." Neji murmured. "Guards! Retrieve Hinata at once!"

"Ni-san! I'll be fine… Naruto-kun is with me! Trust us on this one." Hinata popped her head on Naruto's shoulder to see Neji from behind."We'll be back later, I promise!"

Then they disappeared out from the light.

Neji was left dumbfounded on the porch steps as he watched Naruto kidnap his pure cousin.

"Those idiots…" He mumbled under his breath.

"We will follow them at once, young master!" a guard announced.

Neji raised one hand and signaled for them to stop. "No need for that. Go back to your works."

"But the young mistress is—" Ko opposed.

"Don't worry. I know she's in good hands." Neji said. He picked up his book from the floor and went back inside his mansion in a princely manner.

* * *

><p>Naruto and Hinata were now in a quarter-full bullet train. Hinata was sitting at the seat near the automatic door, while Naruto stood in front of her, only holding on a curb.<p>

"Naruto-kun… do you think I can do it?" Hinata asked in a lack-of-self-confidence-tone.

Naruto gave the girl a concerned look. He could see that she was really not approving to his plans. She looked worried and nervous, pale like she was threatened to be thrown out into the bottom of the ocean. "Of course, you can. Why are you so afraid? Uzumaki Naruto-sama is with you!" he said, trying to light things up.

"I-I never asked father for anything… I'm always scared that he might not accept it, and it's only his wish that shall be followed. I've always lived under his orders so… requesting him to watch the play is new to me." She explained.

Naruto sat down beside her in a bad boy manner. "You know… I understand what you feel. I didn't want to open up and say things to my grandfather, either. But later on, I realized that what I was doing was wrong. I've always thought that I might add up to his problems so I usually keep things to myself." He paused. "But, one person made me realize that I'm not alone. I was just scared to open-up to other people, especially to my grandfather, who's been there with me ever since. And now, I've made a decision. I would not hesitate to tell them what my problems are because I know… I'm not alone. I've always thought that no one cared about me and I'm just a pain in the ass, but I was mistaken. I never knew that those people around were the ones who cared about me most. I was just the one who built that wall."

Hinata stared at him in amazement. That happened many times. When he just starts off a topic that would leave her speechless and in the end… thankful. He had done that to her so many times.

"Stop thinking negatively, okay? Don't be scared of those people who might not accept or listen to you. At least, you tried!" Naruto beamed. "And if your father doesn't listen, I'll beat him into a pulp even if he banishes me out of this country!" he grinned.

Hinata's eyes softened. "Naruto-kun…" she whispered. The nervousness inside her faded away and she was back to her normal cheerful self. "I really am thankful to have you here with me. You… you made me realize that I was wrong the whole time… I would speak more often to my father. That's what I'll do now." She placed a hand on top of his, all of a sudden.

Naruto felt electrified by the contact. His body froze.

"Y-yeah… no p-problem." Was all what he could barely say.

* * *

><p>After an hour of riding the bullet train, they had reached the next city. The city's weather was different from Konoha, it was already snowing here. Naruto had to lend Hinata his jacket since the girl was not wearing enough to protect herself from the cold. They rode a bus to get to their destination. After an hour, they got to the Hyuga National Museum.<p>

"I am sorry. The Museum is closed for today. I would ask you to leave for now." The guard said.

Naruto shoved off some snow from his shoulder and helped Hinata tidy herself up, too. When he was done, he turned to the guard who was asking them to leave for now.

"The hell! Let us in, dattebayo! We want to see the president!" Naruto argued.

"We are closed today, sir. Please, leave."

"Listen. We have to speak with the president right now! You have to let us in!" Naruto stepped closer to the guard and dared him let them get inside.

"The president is busy. He cannot be bothered by anyone this time."

Hinata removed the orange jacket that was covering her, "That means he's here?"

"Hinata-sama?" The guard's eyes widened when he saw his boss's daughter. He bowed in respect and apologized for his harshness.

"I want to see him… please let us in." Hinata pleaded.

"I-I am sorry. I was ordered not to let anyone get inside…"

"What? Look, we came from the other city. You can't just ask us to leave that easily! And as if we would leave!" the lad protested. "Can't you even show respect to your president's daughter? She didn't come here without an important reason so move aside and let her get in! I'm fine waiting here!"

"N-no! Both of us are going through." Hinata interrupted. "Sir, please… I will take full responsibility. I need to see my father… this is a once in a lifetime chance…" she begged.

The guard sighed. He stood aside from the entrance and let them freely pass.

"Thank you very much." Hinata smiled and then she and Naruto entered the museum.

They quickly ran through the corridors which had signs of _NO RUNNING AND PLAYING. _They crossed some intersections, hallways, doors and rooms. Both of them didn't stop running until they found Hyuuga Hiashi at the ancient section standing in front of the Darius Gem along with other business partners.

Hinata hesitated to go inside the room; she just hid at the other side of the wall for a while.

"What are you waiting for? Go to him!" Naruto said.

"I can't show myself dressed into this… I would ruin his reputation as a respected president." Hinata said.

"Oh come on. Then he would know that you came all the way here! Don't give up when we finally made it." Naruto said.

"I know that but… I think I can't do i-it." Hinata said softly.

Naruto inched closer to Hinata and placed a supportive hand on top of her shoulder. "You can do this. Just believe in yourself. He's your father, he won't think of you that way."

"O-okay…" she gulped hard. She tried to sound confident, but deep inside she was scared. This was the very first time that she would do something like this. But after all of what Naruto had done for her, she couldn't just waste all of his efforts. He spent his time trying to help her speak to her father, which she should have done by herself. They reached this far and she couldn't turn her back from it now.

She took a deep breath before anything else. Then, she pushed the door and went inside with Naruto behind her.

The business workers weren't able to notice their presence first due to the proceeding meeting. Naruto was shocked by what he saw, too. Because along with Hinata's father was his most beloved, awesome, kind-hearted grandfather named Jiraiya. He didn't expect to see the old pervert there and it even slipped his mind that Jiraiya was also the one who discovered the Darius Gem! He wanted to back out, but he can't. This was his idea after all, not Hinata's.

"Fa… father!" Hinata called as loud as she could to draw her father's attention.

The black-suited men turned to her when they heard the voice. Jiraiya turned too, and the last one to turn was Hiashi.

"My… my… who is that girl?"

"What is she doing here?"

"She looked as if she went through a storm."

"How did she get in here anyway?"

Their eyes focused on Hinata and that made her quiver in fear. She wanted to run away and act as if everything didn't happen. But, she can't let herself get beaten by her tears now. She went all the way here and managed to interrupt her father's meeting. She didn't care if these rich people criticize her, but she won't let them criticize her father.

"E-excuse me… I-I am Hinata Hyuuga. I wish to speak with my father if that is allowed…" she bowed her head. "Please, give me a minute… I beg of you." She bowed lower.

"Hinata?" Hiashi frowned. "Please, excuse me for a while. I have to speak with my daughter." He bowed and professionally dismissed himself from the ongoing meeting.

"Otou-sama, I—"

"Let's talk outside." Hiashi said strictly as he led the way out of the room.

"Y-yes…" she lowered her head and followed her father.

"What's with her clothes?"

"Is she really Hiashi-sama's daughter?"

"She is so improper. Where did Hiashi-sama go wrong?"

When Naruto heard those negative remarks of those people, he couldn't help himself but get mad.

How dare they judge Hinata by her appearance?

Naruto stepped forward and bravely confronted them. "Both of us ran all the way here from Konoha! Got a problem with that? She wanted to see her father because they haven't seen each other for five months. Got a problem with that? You judge her by her attire because she didn't come here well-dressed like you people? Just so you know, she hesitated to show herself in the first place because she was afraid that she would ruin her father's reputation by coming here not looking elegant and classy. Before coming here, she never thought of her own place. She only thought of her father! Hinata didn't think of her own self once so don't you go judge her as you please! She's a kind-hearted person and—"

Before Naruto could continue his speech, a swift hardbound notebook came flying towards his direction. It slammed on his face hardly and knocked him down.

"Don't mind that idiot. I will be the one to dispose him." Jiraiya excused himself from the meeting and picked Naruto up like a poor dog.

"Old man… you're gonna pay for this!" Naruto gritted his teeth as he was poorly dragged out by Jiraiya.

* * *

><p>Hinata and Hiashi stood outside of the ancient room. Hiashi's back was faced towards her, and she looked down to her feet like a pathetic creature.<p>

"Otou-sama… please, listen to what—"

Hiashi about-faced and glared hardly at her. With this, she was not able to explain herself. "Why have you come here? Dressed like that and with Uzumaki Naruto… what has gotten into your mind? Does Neji permit you to do this?"

"Father, I'm sorry—"

"I'll call Ko to pick you up. You will go home at once."

Hinata felt little and useless once again. She fell silent. She always goes like that whenever her father commands her. She was never able to speak up because she didn't have the courage to face her father. But, right now… she decided to change. She won't be that weak and useless Hinata anymore. She had taken one step forward because of Naruto, and she wasn't afraid to take another step for herself at this moment.

"Please, listen to me just even once tou-sama!" She raised her voice.

Hiashi was effectively silenced by the girl. She raised her voice. He had never heard her that way ever since she was born.

"I'm sorry that I came here dressed like this. I'm sorry that I came here without Neji-ni-san's permission. I'm sorry that I brought shame to you in front of you business co-workers. But… don't worry. I will explain everything to them so you won't ruin your reputation." She said.

Even if Hiashi was shocked by his daughter's behavior, he ought to keep himself calm and composed.

"I care not about my reputation. It's YOU whom I am worried about. You came here dressed like that despite the weather condition. You know that is not good for your health. Still, you came here? Do you know how much worried I am right now? I wouldn't know what I would do if something were to happen to you… I could not take that. You are my daughter…"

"Otou-sama…" Hinata said. She could really feel how concerned her father was. Naruto was right. It was only her who built that wall that separated them. It is now time to break that wall and feel how much her father loved her and cared for her. She extended a hand to reach his cheek and gently touched it.

"I'm fine… you don't have to worry about me. Minato-sensei always checks on my health. Neji-ni-san never let me be. Ko was always there to guard me. Hanabi is there to chat with me… and Naruto-kun is always there to cheer me up. They're good people who don't get tired of watching over me. So, I am going to be all right as long as they are around." She smiled warmly.

Hiashi dearly missed his daughter's smile. Hinata always had that smile which reminded him of his wife. It was so pure, innocent, and sweet that he so loved to see. It was not only that smile she inherited from her mother, but also the kind-heartedness.

"So… what is it you want to say?" he asked.

"Well… um…" Hinata looked down. "I know it's sudden but… wi-will you come to watch the okay tomorrow at school? I-I was chosen to be the leading lady and Naruto-kun as the leading man… It was Jiraiya-san's story that we would do."

"A play? Tomorrow already?"

"Y-yes. We've been practicing since winter had started… it's for our Christmas party. Everyone is invited to go so—"

"You tell it to me just now?" Hiashi raised a brow.

"I-I planned to tell it to you the day I called… but you were busy so I didn't have the chance. And the next day I called your secretary picked up and told me that you shall not be disturbed from your work." Hinata explained nervously. "I decided not to tell you because… I didn't want to be a bother."

Hiashi had a sour look on his face. Indeed, it was his fault for not visiting her for a long time. He was busy with work and wouldn't want to waste time at unnecessary objects. Hinata knew that. But it doesn't mean that she's one of those "unnecessary objects". She's his daughter. He would do anything to make time for her.

Hinata noticed that her father became quiet all of a sudden. Bad sign."It's okay if y-you can't go… I'll just—"

"No. I'll come." He said.

"Eh?"

"You're the lead role, right? Of course I want to see my daughter on that stage." Hiashi gave her a soft peck on her forehead and patted her head like he used to do when she was a child. "I promise. I'll be there."

Hinata looked up to him in amazement. She jumped on him and gave him a warm hug. "Thank you, father! I sincerely thank you!"

Hiashi smiled slightly.

"I'm looking forward for a great play."

"Yes. I promise you'll have a great time."

The door from the ancient room opened and revealed Jiraiya. On his hands was the knucklehead Naruto.

"Sorry to interrupt your father-daughter moment. But, we have to get back inside there, Hiashi." Jiraiya threw out the nearly unconscious Naruto.

"I get it. I'll be on my way." Hiashi said as he gently pushed Hinata. "Now, go back home. I'll have my secretary give you a ride."

"Don't push yourself too hard… watch out for your health, too." Hinata reminded.

Hiashi nodded. "I will. Now, get going before the weather gets worse." He then went back inside.

"Hey. Take good care of her, got that? We're not finished yet." Jiraiya gave Naruto an exquisite glare and then followed Hiashi inside.

"Geez. Got it already." Naruto rolled his eyes.

"Let us go now, Naruto-kun." Hinata extended a hand towards him.

Naruto looked at her doubtfully.

"Come on. We have to go." She smiled cheerfully.

Again, she gave him those pure smiles he couldn't resist how hard he tried to. This was the very first time he saw her smile that way. It was different from those previous ones he saw… this time she looked even happier.

* * *

><p>Naruto didn't think twice on grabbing her hand. And then together, they walked along the hallways.<p>

It was already dark when the secretary dropped off Hinata in front of the Hyuuga compound. Naruto had said that he could go home alone from here after he returns Hinata to Neji. And so, the secretary left and gave them her best regards.

Hinata and Naruto stood at the front gate.

"So… uhh… I guess I'm off." Naruto vaguely scratched the back of his head.

"Oh, yes. I-it's getting late." Hinata replied. She removed the jacket that gave shelter to her from the cold. She ought to give it back to its owner.

"No. Keep that with you. You still have a long way inside your household. You better protect yourself from freezing." Naruto suggested. "You can't catch cold since you have to sing for tomorrow's play."

"Th-thank you." Hinata blushed as she wrapped the jacket around her petite body. "A-are you going to be all right?"

"Of course I am! I am a man too, you know." Naruto said proudly.

"I see… b-be careful on your way home." She said.

"Yeah. I will. Bye then." Naruto waved a hand at her and went off.

"Um! Naruto-kun!" She called before he was completely away.

"_Nani?" _he turned back.

"Today was a special day for me. Thank you very much for everything. Let's do our best for tomorrow!" Hinata said confidently.

Naruto grinned and gave her a thumbs-up. "Of course! Uzumaki Naruto-sama will make everything perfect, dattebayo!" he exclaimed proudly.

Hinata nodded and bowed. "See you tomorrow." She said happily and went inside the household.

Naruto smiled at himself as he watched the girl enter the compound. His heart was pounding madly.

And he couldn't wait to see her for tomorrow.

* * *

><p>Hinata was now inside the mansion. When she entered, Neji was standing near the entrance just as she expected.<p>

"N-ni-san_… _I'm back." She said.

Neji crossed his arm over his hard chest. "It's late. Where is that idiot?" he said with a hint of madness in the tone of his voice. He fiercely eyed at the orange jacket she was wearing.

Hinata bent down to remove her boots."Ni-san, don't call Naruto-kun an idiot. He ensured to get me home safely." She defended.

"Don't get carried away because I let you go this time. It doesn't mean I approve to him. Are we clear?" Neji said.

Hinata giggled softly. "Naruto-kun and I don't have that sort of relationship."

"I'll ask a maid to make you a soup. Go and take a bath and warm yourself." He said as he walked away from her.

"Thank you for that." Hinata slowly rose up and placed her boots in the shoe rack. When she took one step up, her sight suddenly blackened and her chest got tight. Her knees wobbled and she couldn't fight the pain in her chest. She hardly fell down to her knees and started shaking in an indescribable manner of enduring the increasing pain in her body.

While Neji was walking away, he heard a hard slump behind him. He turned back and there, he saw Hinata bent down on the ground with her hands over her chest. He quickly went to her.

"Hinata… Hinata! Hang in there! Ko! Ko!" Neji shouted as loud as he could. "Call for Minato-sensei, hurry up! She's getting an attack!"

"Certainly!" Ko swiftly ran towards the phone and began contacting the maiden's doctor.

Neji carried his cousin on his arms and went up the stairs to deliver her to her room. He gently placed her down the soft bed and immediately looked for her emergency medicine.

Hyuuga Neji was always so composed. But when it comes with his precious cousin, he would be _desperate_ to save her.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Naruto was riding a barely empty bus back to his humble home. He was deeply staring outside the window and slightly smiling at himself like a fool. This, indeed was a great and memorable day for him. He spent the rest of the day with Hinata and he felt so good just recalling their moments together. Those new smiles he saw, he knew that he was the one who caused most of them. That truly is an honor for him.<p>

"Ha! Take that, Kiba!" he mentally proclaimed victory.

As he continued daydreaming about the girl, he suddenly felt a strong bump in his chest that startled him so much.

"What the?" he frowned.

No one was beside him. He was sitting at the very back and he was all alone in his seat. No one would have given him that loud bump except himself. But he felt that action involuntarily happened inside his chest. And that made him feel very anxious about something.

He felt that something was…

Wrong.

To be continued.

* * *

><p><strong>an:**

thank you for waiting! I was going to publish this 2 weeks ago but... you know. No internet policy here because of the review class. Sometimes I stealthily go to fanfic to read but not having the time to publish the chapter. I might get caught if I inserted my flashdrive to my PC! So... Imma enjoy my moment of freedom! (for now). Plus, the whole story is done. It has 28 chapters all in all, including the epilogue. :) I'm going to start writing something new soon! I hope you'd read that too in the future.

As usual, thank you for the reviews! Please, keep supporting me!

God Bless everyone!

**VOCABULARY**

**Himitsu- secret**

**Hai- yes**

**Gomen- sorry**

**Doushita no? – what's wrong**

**Nani- what?**


	17. Chapter 17: I nailed the line

**a/n:  
><strong>

****thank you again for the reviews! the story reached 155 reviews! I really am happy about that! :) my target was 150... so... TT^TT I was really thrilled when I found out it already had 155. Thank you very much!

now on with the story...

**DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOT NARUTO OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS IN IT.  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 17: I Nailed the Line<strong>

_8.03 pm Hyuuga Household_

"She's fine now. Her heartbeat finally went back to normal." Minato informed Neji as he gently pressed the stethoscope on his patient's chest.

Hinata was now sleeping peacefully on her bed and the expression on her face showed no more pain. She was sleeping like an angel.

Neji was glad to hear that his cousin was finally out of danger. After an hour of emergency treatment with doctor Minato, he was finally able to calm down. The terror he experienced was very unforgettable; he always goes into a lost state whenever Hinata gets attacks. Thank God, Minato was near. If not, he wouldn't know what to do. It's true that he's always composed and knows what the right things to do, but… there are times he needs help, too. He was not a perfect human prodigy that everyone has been thinking ever since. He's only a person… a normal person… with fears and weaknesses.

"It has been a while since she had an attack. What is the cause of this?" Neji asked.

Minato retrieved his stethoscope and placed it around his neck. "The weather had affected her body so much. Her heart caused irregular heartbeats because of the low temperature of the surroundings." He explained. "It's good that you made your move quickly and called for me. If not… she would have already…"

It was unnecessary for Minato to finish his statement. He wouldn't want to, either. Neji already knew what he meant and both of them didn't want that to happen to her.

"Please, keep a closer eye on her. The cold weather might affect her health again. If this happens another time, I may not be able to save her anymore." Minato warned, "It's true that she made a huge development these past few months. But that doesn't mean her life won't be in danger anymore. She would continue to experience sudden heart attacks, fainting, lost of appetite and weakness sometimes. It's better to let her rest for one week." He looked at the girl with a lonesome expression. "Doing the play would not be good for her."

"Then that means… she shouldn't do it tomorrow night?" Neji said.

Minato nodded solemnly. "I'm afraid that she shall not do it."

"I see. I understand." Neji looked down.

"N…no…"

Came the voice of the weak maiden.

Both Minato and Neji shot her a glance as they heard the weak voice.

"Please, let me do the play…" Hinata had regained consciousness by hearing deep voices. She didn't wonder why she felt all better now when she saw Minato. She tried to sit up, but the doctor forbade her to. She was still weak.

"I'm sorry, Hinata. You can't. It will worsen your condition." Minato said.

"No… please. Don't say that… I have to p-participate in the Christmas play. My classmates, the children from the orphanage and Father—they were all looking forward for that event." Hinata pleaded, "Naruto-kun practiced so hard for this—"

"Enough! You are not going to participate in that play. It's because of Uzumaki Naruto! He's the reason why you got a sudden attack. He put your life in danger!" Neji raised his voice.

"Naruto?" Minato frowned. No wonder the orange jacket he saw earlier wrapped around Hinata was familiar. "I shouldn't have trusted that guy…" he heard the Hyuuga lad mutter.

"That not it, ni-san… Naruto-kun is not at fault… he was just trying to help me." The maiden defended.

"So you're on his side again. But no matter what you say, you will not participate in the play tomorrow. Let them find a replacement for you." Neji said.

"No!" Hinata mustered her strength on getting up and grabbed for Minato's arm. "Minato-sensei… _onegai_… let me do the play. Don't take this away from me, too… Everyone had rehearsed so much… they did their best for this and a lot of people are looking forward to see it. If they found out that the play has been cancelled… they would be sad and disappointed. Especially the children."

Hinata never failed to surprise Minato and Neji. After all of what happened to her, she still thought of the sake of other people. She already had a Heart Attack, for Pete's sake! But, here she was, thinking of what other people would feel.

How selfless.

"It will just worsen your condition. We wouldn't want that to happen, right?" Minato tried to calm her down. "Your father would not be pleased if he heard this." He gently laid her back to bed.

"But… what about Naruto-kun? He was very excited for tomorrow. He did his best in every rehearsal we made. He was the most hardworking of us all. And… and I was finally able to speak up to my father. That was the very first time I had the confidence to speak with him… that's all thanks to Naruto-kun!" Hinata explained. "Because of him… I was able to stand up for myself. If it weren't for him, then my father would not know about the achievement I made."

"If it weren't for that jerk, you wouldn't have gotten into this situation!" Neji shouted. "It's his fault!"

"Don't blame him, Ni-san… I don't blame him for everything that's happened. He doesn't have a clue about my health condition. Why don't you blame me instead for letting myself get taken away by him despite the circumstances and risks I know I'd face? It's my fault… so don't blame him." Hinata stared deeply at Neji, "Naruto-kun is a very nice person…"

That again. He was tired of hearing that from her whenever they argue about Naruto.

'_Naruto-kun is not what you think.'_

'_Naruto-kun is fun to be with,'_

'_Try to understand each other.'_

He was sick of hearing those words over and over again.

"Doctor… please… don't blame Naruto-kun. I know you just saw him once, but… don't judge him. He may be a rebel but he has a kind heart. He can understand me and he's the very first friend I made in my entire life." Hinata begged.

Minato patted her head. "I'm not blaming anyone for this. But with your sudden heart attack, it's not advisable for you to continue doing the play. We are just concerned of your health." He explained.

"I know my body most… I know my limitations. I'll do fine tomorrow." She said.

"You know your limitations? Then why did you let that guy do whatever he wanted? You're not like him. He's strong, athletic… he's everything you're not." Neji glared.

"I know that…" Hinata replied.

"Then why? Why do you still think of his sake? Why do you still think of other people? It's like you don't care about yourself." Neji's glare hardened. "You should start thinking about your own condition. You're not in the right place to worry about others."

Hinata had that determined look on her eyes. It was something she got from Naruto. "I want to make everything special. For those children who lost their parents, for those teachers who kept working hard for their students… and to those who worked hard for the play. I want them all to be happy." She explained.

"And so… you don't care of what might happen to you?" Neji's eyes got more furious.

"No. If Ni-san thought that I'm disregarding the condition of my health… then you are mistaken." Hinata gripped on her blanket. "As I said earlier, I know my body most. If you think that I'm just doing this for other people, you're wrong… I'm doing this for myself also."

Neji was stunned for a moment. Since when did she have those eyes?

Hinata tightened her grip on her blanket. She lowered her head and let her bangs cover the expression of her eyes. "I dearly want to participate in that play… I was so happy Kakashi-sensei chose me. I thought that this should be my chance. So I approved on it without hesitations because… this might be the last one for me." She paused. "I-I finally spoke up to my father… I've always wanted to do that a long time ago. And, at last… I'm able to do it. This play and Naruto-kun were my bridge… I wanted father to be proud of me even once."

This may be the millionth time Hinata silenced her cousin.

"That's why I want to continue the play…" she added softly.

Minato was reached by Hinata's words. He understood what she feels. He knew what she feels. She was a kind-hearted girl… no, she was more than that. No exact word could describe her kindness and selflessness. And… one question kept repeating in his mind.

'_Of all people… why does it have to be her?'_

He placed a supportive hand on top of her fragile ones."You can do the play… but, once something goes wrong… I will not let you continue anymore. Understand?"

Hinata lifted her head and faced the doctor once more. Joy replaced the lonesome expression on her face as she heard Minato's words.

"Eh?"

"That's right. I'm allowing you to participate in the play tomorrow. _Just _make sure nothing goes wrong." Minato said.

Hinata clasped Minato's hands. "Thank you very much. You don't know how much this means to me. All I can say is thank you."

"Hey. What are you—" Neji tried to butt in but was prevented by Minato.

"Now you rest. You have a big day tomorrow." Minato brushed some locks of hair on her face as he stood up.

Hinata nodded like a child. "Be careful on your way home, Minato-sensei." She said.

Minato's eyes softened as he looked at the slightly strong girl. "Yes. Take care of yourself. Call me if you need me." He then smiled father-likely. He turned away and walked towards Neji. "We have to talk." He said softly to the lad and continued to part. He opened the door to exit the room.

"Doctor, wait…" Hinata called.

Minato halted and looked back. "Hm?"

"Just so you know… Minato-sensei has the same eyes like Naruto-kun… It's like the ocean. Whenever I look at them, they calm me down." She said and smiled innocently.

"This Naruto-kun… you really do like him, don't you?" Minato smiled slightly.

"Yes… I like him a lot!" She said cheerfully.

"You sleep now." Minato then turned away and walked out the room with Neji following him.

* * *

><p>Minato and Neji went downstairs where the maiden couldn't hear their conversation.<p>

"Why have you done that, doctor? Why did you let her participate?" Neji was mad.

"Neji-kun. I know what's best for my patients. I'm her doctor and I understand her more than anyone could." Minato replied calmly.

"What's best for her? What if she gets attacked again? You were the one who told me that you would not be able to save her anymore once that happens. Still, you allowed her? Have you gone mad?" The Hyuuga prodigy growled.

"I know what I'm doing. I know the danger she put herself in. But, she knows her body most." The doctor said.

"Are you trying to kill her?" Neji grabbed Minato's collar.

"That will never be my intention. It's time that we trust her. It's time that we let her do what she wants."

"_This_ will kill her!"

"She knows her body best. She would not let her loved ones get sad. Disappointment and depression might worsen her body even more. I believe that she wouldn't be able to take that. So I let her participate. She would not let anything go wrong, trust her."

"How can you be so sure?" Neji narrowed his eyes.

"Hinata is a great person. God would not be a fool for not blessing someone like her. He will be with her." Minato answered.

That's it. That did the thing. The topic Neji couldn't argue about.

Neji loosened his grip on Minato's collar. He was able to calm down for some reasons.

"And I believe in her when she said she knew her limitations." The doctor added. He fixed his collar and necktie to regain his doctor-like figure. "Neji-kun… I have to tell you something." He stared straightly at the Hyuuga's eyes.

The atmosphere got even more tensed as it has already been. Neji's eyes widened as he heard every word Minato imparted.

The doctor placed a hand on top of the lad's shoulder. He looked sad for what he had reported. After some minutes, he departed and left Neji alone to have a private moment.

When Minato was gone, Neji was seen by the maids and butlers falling back to the couch with his hands covering his face. His fingers were tightly attached to his scalp and it looked like it was the end of the world for him.

* * *

><p><em>Uzumaki Household, 9.00pm<em>

Minato just got home. He shut the door behind him and placed his shoes on the shoe rack. As he went up one step, he removed his black coat and hung it at the coat stand nearby. He looked stress as ever. When he was making his way up the stairs, a flash of blonde hair captured his vision from outside the window.

Strolling at the garden was Minato's only son, Naruto. He decided to approach the boy to see what's going on.

Naruto was gazing up the sky with hidden stars and was accepting the cold breeze the wind made. He was waiting for the snow to fall tonight just like what he and Hinata saw in the other city. As tranquil as the place was, he heard heavy footsteps from behind him making a squish sound due to the snow on the ground. He turned to see the person who was approaching and was not surprised seeing Minato.

"Still up? Tomorrow's the big night." Minato said.

"Yeah," Naruto replied as he went back on gazing up the sky.

"You nervous?" Minato arched a brow.

Naruto twitched there. He hated to admit it, but he had to. So, he answered with a simple, "Yes."

"Well, that's natural for a beginner. It's your first time after all. It's fine getting nervous as long as you don't mess up." Minato commented.

"I really am nervous. I tried to sleep few hours ago but whenever I think about the play… it shoots me wide awake. But, at the same time, I really am excited too." Naruto said, "I'll see Hinata again."

Minato placed his hands inside his pockets as he also gazed up the sky. "Say… do you like this… Hinata?" he asked.

Naruto felt as if there just came a thunderstorm in the garden. Shades of the darkest red formed on his cheeks, his whiskers were also barely visible. It's obvious that he was panicking.

"Are you in love with her?" Minato asked even more curiously.

Naruto looked as far as his eyes could just to avoid any eye contact. His face even redder than the previous. Why was the doctor suddenly asking him random questions? Nevertheless, to not look lame in front of the cool doctor, he decided to give an answer.

"Well," he began and scratched his left cheek nervously. "I-I don't know yet, dattebayo."

Minato stopped himself for chuckling. Naruto was just like his mother whenever he's nervous. He decided just to remain silent to not ruin the moment. Naruto might want to open-up to him.

"You know… I was with her the whole day. And… I felt happy when I was able to help her. You see, she's done a lot for me so I wanted to pay her back. I always want to see her happy and safe. Whenever she smiles, I always feel warm inside my chest and my heart begins to pound uncontrollably." Naruto said. "When she's sad, I feel really bad. There's always something missing when I don't see her in a day. I love hearing her voice calling out my name. Just so sweet and gentle. And when she touches my hand, my whole body goes numb. But I like it. There's not a day that I won't think of her. And she was the only one who made me feel these things. I was even able to forget about Sakura-chan because of her." he smiled slightly.

"Up 'til now, I wonder why she's able to do that to me. I wonder what my life would be if I hadn't met her… Ever since we first saw each other at the yacht, I felt something different about her. I wanted to see her again… and I was really glad that she was the new student in our school."

"Naruto… _omae wa_…"

Naruto laughed boyishly. "I feel so relaxed when I'm with Hinata. I want to see her always. Her smile… her sweet voice and the touch of her hand." He looked at his hand and clenched it in a determined manner. "I—I want to protect her." He said in a serious yet gentle tone of voice.

Minato glanced back at his son. Surprised by the sudden confession.

Naruto glanced at him, too. "_Nee_, is that what you call love? Am I really in love with," he paused. "Hinata?"

Minato smirked. His eyes softened as he looked at his son's curious expression. He placed a hand on top of the lad's head and ruffled his blond hair like a puppy. "You know the answer yourself. There's no point of asking me. When you see her, you'll get your answer instantly."

Naruto's brows furrowed. "What?"

Minato shrugged his shoulders and let out a sigh. "I don't plan to answer you. Find out the answer yourself since everything has been too obvious for me,"

"Keh! So selfish!" Naruto turned away. Suddenly, a horrible thought struck back in his mind. A realization, rather. A _big_ realization just came like a flash of lightning. Did he just say those things to Minato? He was just supposed to tell him, _"I don't know. I don't have time for that." _But what in the world just happened?

"So! Ummm… Where have you gone this evening? You were such in a hurry according to the maids." The younger blond quickly changed the topic.

"A patient of mine needed emergency treatment. She had a heart attack due to the cold weather. Her cousin called me up at once." Minato answered professionally.

Naruto looked down. Sad of what he had heard. "I see. Is your patient fine now?" he asked.

"For the meantime, yes. But…" Minato hesitated to explain further.

Naruto patiently waited for the older blond to continue.

Minato glanced at his watch. "Go back inside. It's getting late. You wouldn't want to get a cold since tomorrow is the big night. Hurry back now."

"Keh. So selfish." Naruto mumbled as he turned away from the doctor.

"Oh, and Naruto." Minato called before Naruto could get inside.

"Ah?" the lad responded.

"After the play, I have something important to tell you." Minato said,

"Can't you tell it to me now?" Naruto asked.

"No. Just wait for it tomorrow."

Naruto gave Minato another furious look before going back inside. He mumbled things concerning about selfishness as he walked away from the garden. He and the doctor just had another weird conversation. Oh well, he was used to that. They were already living under the same roof nearly half a year. Having a conversation like that isn't new to him. Some were even worse than that… regarding _physical change_ in his body. How he hated that topic whenever they talked. He was glad Minato didn't mention that tonight. He could already predict that they would have another weird conversation tomorrow.

* * *

><p>December 23, the night of the play had come.<p>

The school theatre was already filled by the audience. Of course, there were students since it was the Christmas party, then teachers, faculty members, the principal and other well-known people. Namely Jiraiya—the one who wrote the story several years ago; Hyuuga Hiashi—Hinata's father and the owner of the National Museum; and Orochimaru—the school director. Common people arrived too. The children from the orphanage and Minato, himself. A lot of people came this night, even exceeding last year's audience.

Cheers for the great achievement of the school!

Cheers for Naruto's nervousness.

Whenever someone goes inside the theatre, Naruto wanted to kick him out and send him home already. Jiraiya and Hinata's father were watching and that was enough to make him nervous to the bones. Those people he didn't know add up to that nervousness, after all it's his first time on the stage instead of the soccer field.

"Everyone! Five more minutes to go and the curtain's off!" the director, Yamanaka Ino announced.

Naruto was done wearing his attire half an hour ago. He would first appear in scene 8, where he would cry over losing his mother. After that scene, he would change to another set of clothes. From white young master-like costume, he would transform to a hunter's outfit that looked a little like Robin Hood's costume. His third costume was a red V-neck shirt, brown denim and black knee boots. It was a good thing that he didn't have to wear the groom attire for he was going to be substituted by a senior student, same goes for Hinata, for the last scene which was the wedding scene.

"Naruto." Sakura popped out of nowhere. Her role was Rina Reinheart's(Shizune) younger sister. She wore a normal maiden dress in the 18th century. On her hand was the latest model of a mobile phone, which was pink in color. A cell phone matched up with an old-fashion dress. Hilarious combination.

Sakura could see from Naruto's eyes that he wanted to laugh, "Try laughing and I'll break your ribs." She threatened. "So, this is what I get for trying to help you lessen your nervousness." She sighed in disappointment.

"Ha?" Naruto blinked.

"Here. Someone wants to talk to you." Sakura handed him her phone.

Naruto stared blankly at her and used her phone. From the other end of the line, he heard the familiar coldness of the voice of his best friend.

"Yo. I bet you're trembling in fear,"

That was the gentle and happy greeting of Naruto's most beloved best friend of all for not contacting each other for one month.

"Thank you. I feel much better." He replied sarcastically.

Sasuke chuckled coldly, "Then you really are scared."

"Hey! I am not scared! I'm not nervous at all!" the blond argued.

Sakura glared doubtfully at him. She just sighed at the lad's pride_. 'Sheesh. Look whose knees are shaking right now.' _She thought to herself.

"Heh! It's a huge loss for you since you won't be able to witness Uzumaki Naruto-sama's great performance! Bad for you, 'ttebayo." Naruto exclaimed.

"Hn. If I didn't leave, you wouldn't have gotten that role. Hinata and _I_ should be partners. Not _you _and her. Kakashi probably thought that she and I looked better together than you and her." Sasuke countered.

Naruto's nervous self was replaced by anger with burning flames. "The hell… try saying that again." He instinctively punched the wall.

"If I didn't leave, you wouldn't have gotten that role. Hinata and _I _were chosen in the first place. Not _you_. And I know I would do even more better than you on that stage." Sasuke said.

"Oh, really? Are you challenging me? I never thought that you had such interests with Hinata. If that's it, then I accept your challenge!"

And so, the conversation ended up being an argumentation. At least that made Naruto feel better.

* * *

><p>Curtain's off… show time!<p>

That five minutes left for Naruto was just wasted by arguing with Sasuke over the phone. But thanks to the Uchiha, he regained his spirits. He was now ready for this once in a lifetime experience. Seriously, he really wanted to do this ONCE in a lifetime. He wouldn't want for this to repeat ever again. If it were possible, he wouldn't have done this. He rejected the offer in the first place! But, learning that Hinata was the leading lady, he had to accept for he didn't want Kiba or anybody else paired up with her.

Hinata… wait… where was she, anyway?

The play is starting, still she was out of sight.

"Ten-ten. Where's Hinata" Naruto asked.

Ten-ten was adding more blush-on on her cheeks when Naruto approached her. She was to appear in scene 9 where Darius(Naruto) needs to set off to find a cure. "_Mattaku… _Can't wait to see her already? If Neji were here he would've kicked you by now."

"Where is she?" he asked more desperately.

Ten-ten closed the lid of the container of her blush-on and placed it back in the drawer. "I won't tell you even if I know. If I told you, then you'd run straight to her. Just wait and you'll see her soon. Don't bother her for now." She said.

"What?" Naruto frowned.

"Good luck at your crying scene." Ten-ten patted his shoulder and went to her place.

Naruto scratched the back of his head immaturely. "The hell." He mumbled. Then he had no choice but to wait for her on scene 17.

He decided to stay put on the barrel he was sitting on earlier. From there, he watched the first scene where Darren(Asuma) and Cedrilyn(Kurenai) would first meet each other.

There came the part when Cedrilyn was playing the piano and her beauty captivated Darren. Lots of the audience was already taken by the great performance but… they hadn't seen so much yet. The main event has not yet come. He's sure that the girls would faint once they saw him in a prince-like outfit. Uzumaki Naruto-sama would steal the whole show with his awesomeness.

.

.

.

Scene 5.

The first scene that Naruto would appear. He was seen kneeling beside his dead mother as he forced himself to cry. It took a hell of a practice for him to cry on the spot, nevertheless, it turned out well. Tears freely stroke down his cheek even for a few second. How proud he was feeling for himself.

"Mother, I will find a cure. I will not let someone die in that illness in front of my very eyes again!" That was Darius's first lines. Then cut. Scene 5 is done, and there are twenty-five scenes to go.

_Hah! Eat that old man!_

Later, Naruto's most awaited scene finally came. Scene 17: Second Chance of Love. Where Darius would meet Carmina at the same hotel where Darren first met Cedrilyn. Finally, he would see her. He was longing to see her already.

"Guys, you know what, this was the hotel that father told me saved his life along with uncle Robert(Gai), and uncle Darren during the war. I can't believe it's still here!" Scarlet Wright(Ten-ten) informed her teammates.

"Really? No matter it felt so nostalgic. If this hotel hadn't existed, we would not be born. No place would have saved them." David Nadal(Lee) agreed. "Isn't that right, Darius?" he tapped the lad on the back.

"Oh… ah… yeah!" Crap. Naruto wasn't supposed to stutter here. When he took a brief look at the audience, he saw his honorable grandfather laughing at his little mistake. Naruto had to make it up on this scene. He got carried away thinking of when Hinata would show up. "You're right. So, let's have fun in this place!" he exclaimed.

And so, the music began. The spotlight focused on the upper platform where Carmina(Hinata) stood in front of the mic.

That was it. The ultimate meeting.

Finally, he was able to see her.

He would not be ashamed if he looked dumbfounded. He didn't care if he was stunned a million times in front of the crowd admiring the girl's beauty. He would not hide the expression on his face when he saw her descending from the five-step staircase. With that white dress fitting her body perfectly, who would not be amazed by seeing her? For him, she looked like Goddess. A Goddess who descended from the heavens to meet him. Words couldn't describe how wonderful a Goddess she was. For him, he only knew that he wanted to see her… badly… desperately. And finally, she was right in front of his eyes. His long wait came to an end.

The music continued… and with her angelic voice, she began to sing the song.

_A new day  
>A new day<em>

_I was waiting for so long_  
><em>For a miracle to come<em>  
><em>Everyone told me to be strong<em>  
><em>Hold on and don't shed a tear<em>

_Through the darkness and good times_  
><em>I knew I'd make it through<em>  
><em>And the world thought I had it all<em>  
><em>But I was waiting for you<em>

_Hush now_  
><em>I see a light in the sky<em>  
><em>Oh, it's almost blinding me<em>  
><em>I can't believe<em>  
><em>I've been touched by an angel with love<em>

_Let the rain come down and wash away my tears_  
><em>Let it fill my soul and drown my fears<em>  
><em>Let it shatter the walls for a new, new sun<em>

_A new day has come_  
><em>Where it was dark now there's light<em>  
><em>Where there was pain now there's joy<em>  
><em>Where there was weakness, I found my strength<em>  
><em>All in the eyes of a boy<em>

_Hush now_  
><em>I see a light in the sky<em>  
><em>Oh, it's almost blinding me<em>  
><em>I can't believe<em>  
><em>I've been touched by an angel with love<em>

_Let the rain come down and wash away my tears_  
><em>Let it fill my soul and drown my fears<em>  
><em>Let it shatter the walls for a new, new sun<em>

_A new day has_  
><em>Let the rain come down and wash away my tears<em>  
><em>Let it fill my soul and drown my fears<em>  
><em>Let it shatter the walls for a new, new sun<em>

_A new day has come_  
><em>Ohhh, a light<em>  
><em>Hush now<em>  
><em>I see a light in your eyes<em>  
><em>All in the eyes of the boy<em>

_I can't believe_  
><em>I've been touched by an angel with love<em>

_I can't believe_  
><em>I've been touched by an angel with love<em>

_Hush now_  
><em>Hush now<em>

The song was finished. Carmina went down the stage, and there, Darius would approach her quickly. Naruto offered her a hand and escorted her down.

"May I know your name?" he asked gentlemanly.

"It's Carmina. Carmina Francis, Sir." She said and flashed him one of her sweetest smiles.

"Carmina, is it? What a wonderful name." he complimented as he smiled back.

The girl giggled harmonically. "Please, do not flatter me." She said.

"I am not flattering you, milady." He said and knelt down in front of her. He reached for her hand and landed a soft, gentle kiss on it. "I truly am honored to meet someone as beautiful as you."

Naruto could hear the screaming fan girls when he threw that line. For the very first time, he looked at her in the eye when he said those words. He was not nervous, scared or embarrassed to face her anymore. For the very first time… he nailed the line. And he was proud because he didn't say it as Darius.

He said it as Naruto and meant it.

To be continued…

* * *

><p><strong>an:**

****I typed this for three hours! :) sorry, I'm a slow typer. TT^TT The song was originally by Celine Dion. Its title is A New Day Has Come. I had a hard time arguing which song I would use for the play, but when I heard this playing in my PC, I searched for the lyrics and thought, "oh! This fits Hinata's life!" and yeah, I used it in this story. It's a wonderful song. Agree?

Also... I think I won't be able to update the next chapter swiftly. (BOO!) Yeah, I know I know. I agree with the Boo. 'Coz yeah, it really is a BOO! We would be having our vacation and there's no source of Internet in the place we're going to, unfortunately. But, Imma go to some zones with free WiFi. hihihihihi. Laptops do come handy, nee? I'd be typing chapter 18 while waiting in the car and going on to a boring 5-hour travel.

That's all for now. I hope you liked it!

Review please! Thank you!

**VOCABULARY**

**Onegai- please**

**Omae wa- you are**

**Nee- hey**

**Mattaku- oh geez**


	18. Chapter 18: Absentminded Actions

**a/n: **

here comes chapter 18! *applause* I'm alive! sorry for the extremely late chapter... we migrated back to the real city where I was'born this way'. (don't mind me) I went through a lot before I could access the net! For three weeks, I suffered without any internet connections here in our house. But because of my devilishly mad skills(ahem!), I was able to publish this chapter and access the fun world of Internet!

hurrah!

please enjoy the chapter.

I would like to thank all the reviewers of this story! The whole story is finished in my draft and it had 28 chapters. I thought it would be thirty, but yeah. Something just happened to me that's why I decided for it to be 28 chapters only.

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO. **

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 18: Absentminded Actions<strong>

"Your grandson is not acting bad." Hiashi said in a low voice to his seatmate, Jiraiya.

Jiraiya smirked languidly at the Hyuuga. "I guess the practice paid off well." he shrugged. He eyed his grandson on the stage, giving a challenging glare as if to say, _'Let's see how good you can play Darius.'_

few rows behind Jiraiya and Hiashi were Neji and Hanabi. Hanabi watched the scene with excitement while Neji watched the scene being Neji.

"Uwaaa. Hinata-san is so beautiful!" they both heard a female student compliment.

"I agree! They look so good together! I wish I could be as gorgeous as her..." another commented.

"Naruto-sama looks so cool! At first I didn't like the idea of him replacing Sasuke-sama... but I take back what I said!"

"Yeah. I think he's the most suitable one for the role next to Sasuke-sama,"

The Hyuuga relatives continued hearing positive remarks from the students, especially from the girls who squeak all over Naruto and the other guy characters in the play. Gossip here, gossip there, gossip everywhere!

Hanabi elbowed the Hyuuga prodigy, "Why so stiff, Neji-nii? Come on, say something about elder sister, too! She really is dazzling!"

Neji nodded neutrally. No comment.

Hanabi leaned casually on the back of her seat. "Aah~! You really act like her father. Instead of staring at Hinata-neechan, you're glaring at Naruto-san! Don't you know that your glares could kill?" she arched a brow.

Neji shot her a side glance. "It's nothing like that,"

Hanabi scoffed. "No wonder the director had a hard time convincing you to let Hinata-neechan do the play. You're so selfish-I mean, overprotective of her that you didn't want her to be exposed to other people. Especially to the guys. You're an extremely overprotective father-err-cousin." she explained, "But don't you worry. Naruto-san is there. People would be scared to go near her."

_'That is what I am afraid of.'_ Neji thought. He just sighed and decided not to interact with Hanabi anymore before their conversation worsen. He just dedicated his full attention to the play.

* * *

><p><em>Scene 23: Carmina's confession<em>

Naruto changed to his third attire which was the red stylish V-neck shirt with brown denims and knee length boots. This scene was one of the hardest parts. He had to cry again. He didn't know if he still had the energy to act that out since he had used up all of his powers crying over his mother's death in scene 5. But he had to impress his grandfather. And he definitely can't afford to lose to Sasuke-teme. He had to do this far better than Sasuke-teme.

The scene started with Darius(Naruto) sparring with David(Lee). After a moment, their training ended when Carmina(Hinata) appeared on stage wearing an old fashioned maiden dress. Her hair was tied in one braid and was waving gracefully behind her back.

"Ooooh. Look who's here. It's your princess." David whispered to the blond in a teasy tone. "So, I'm afraid I have to leave you two love birds for a while. Have a good day, Lady Carmina." he said and exited the stage.

"Is something the matter, Carmina? What made you come here all of a sudden?" Darius went to her immediately.

Carmina held her hands high and gave him a basket of food.

"I prepared lunch. I was wondering if we could have it together." She said with a smile.

Darius had that surprised expression on his face. He gladly accepted the basket from her and smiled back, "Of course. You know how much I love your cooking." he grabbed her fragile hand and led her to the wooden bench and the maiden started unpacking their lunch.

Darius watched her closely with a childish face. He always thought that every move she made was graceful and calm. She was perfect to be a loving bride.

Carmina was done unpacking the lunch and when she lifted her head, her eyes met the lad's blue ones. She noticed that he was staring at her for a while now. She slowly tilted her head and asked, "Is everything all right?"

Naruto—Darius quickly shifted his gaze, feeling embarrassed of getting carried away again. He was relieved because that part was included in the script. It was not included in his errors! Well, he had to continue his part.

"Yes. Everything is all right. I really am thrilled that you made time to make us lunch. We usually eat at the restaurant... we rarely did this. I'm happy that we can spend our time together in this quiet place." Darius said.

"I see. I'm glad that you're happy." Carmina smiled.

Darius gently placed his arm at the back of Carmina's seat and leaned closer to her. He settled his head on top of her left shoulder and rested comfortably. "To tell the truth, I never thought I could feel happiness again. Ever since my mother died from heart disease, I thought I can never face the world and live my life happily again. She had always told me, _"Live your life to the fullest and be happy."… _Those were the words she told me even until her last breath." He said. "I forgot all about that when she died. My world doomed and darkness occupied my mind. I couldn't picture myself laughing and smiling once again. But… three months ago when I first met you, you woke me up. You gave me light and you saved me from the darkness. I felt happiness once again…" he placed strong hands on top of hers and wrapped them.

Carmina felt the warmth of her lover's words. She tightly held his hands too and accepted all the love the lad was giving her. They shared a sweet moment, and later on… she began trembling and she hated it for ruining the great moment.

She tightly shut her eyes and muttered her words.

"I wish we could stay like this forever."

Once Darius felt a shiver from the fair maiden, he quickly lifted his head up to check on her. When he saw her face, it gave him the feeling of wanting to murder someone for giving her that kind of look. She was very scared and lonely. This was the very first time Naruto had seen Hinata present an expression like that. She was always smiling, laughing and cheerful. He hadn't seen her—not even once—make such a crestfallen emotion.

He didn't like that. He felt mad for seeing her make those aspects.

He lightly placed a hand on top of her shoulder. "What's wrong?"

The girl closed her eyes and turned away from him.

Pain shot in his chest when Hinata—Carmina avoided him.

"I'm sorry, Darius. I'm deeply sorry."She said in a soft melancholic voice. She stood up from her seat and freed herself from the lad's touch. She hugged her shoulders in order for her to stop shivering, but whatever she did didn't work. Her whole body was still shaking and she didn't know what else to do to stop it.

Darius appeared in front of her, placing both of his hands on her shaky shoulders. He seriously looked very concerned now. "Carmina… tell me. What happened? Why are you acting like this?" he pressed.

Carmina lowered her head and turned her hands into fists. She bit her lower lip as if to control her emotions.

"Tell me. What's wrong?" he began to shake her gently as if to bring her back to her senses.

Still, the girl did not talk. Instead, she started making soft sobs that made him panic even more. When tears stroke down her cheeks, anxiousness rapidly grew inside him.

"H-hey. Are you okay? Did someone hurt you? Just state the bastard's name and I'll slit his throat."

The girl weakly shook her head and disapproved.

"That's not it?" Darius asked, "Then why? Why are you crying? You're scaring the hell out of me…" he pleaded for the reason.

Her body was shaking even more when soft sobs turned into loud ones. "I-I'm… s—sorr—sorry…" she forced to say clearly.

"Why are you apologizing? You did nothing wrong… Just tell me why you're crying and I'll help you get through this, okay? Just… stop crying anymore." He said, trying to calm her down.

Carmina decided to lift her head up and meet Darius's eyes. Tears were freely cascading down her cheeks and new ones were already forming. With all her might, she began to speak. With all the courage she stored, she decided to tell him the truth.

"Darius… I have an incurable disease." She said in a hoarse voice, "I have not much time left to live."

Darius felt his whole body get numb when he heard the maiden's words. His senses were taken away and his mind went into a trance, he momentarily forgot everything in this world and it seemed darkness reoccurred in his life once again. He even forgot how to breathe, how to blink, how to move and how to think. His world doomed when he absorbed her reasons.

"I-I… should have told you sooner." She said between her sobs. She was now covering her face with her pale hands as she cried continuously. "But… I was scared… I was scared that—you won't l-love me anymore. I'm scared that—you'd get angry at m-me for not telling it to you… sooner. I'm s-scared that you might get… sad. I… I wanted to stay with you—longer... but all I could give you is pain and sorrow."

Darius's hands numbly fell down to his sides as he dumbly stared at the girl. He wanted to speak but his throat was too dry. He was frozen and electrified. His body won't even budge a single inch.

"I-I think it's better for us to get separated… You should find a-another girl who could live with you for a very long time. A girl who'll love you more than I did. I-I would just give you problems if you still stayed with me. I don't want that…" she spoke weakly. "So… we better not see each other again."

She had the guts to remove her hand on her face now. She wiped those forming tears on her eyes as she looked sweetly at him. "I was really happy that I a person like you. I would never regret knowing and loving someone as kind as you." She gave him a shaky smile. It was obvious that she was forcing herself to give that look, but everyone could see that behind that smile were pain and sorrow.

Darius, no… Naruto couldn't say anything. Upon hearing those words from her, he couldn't find the right actions to do. He was in a complete lost state. He forgot his lines; he forgot everything he had to do in this scene.

Carmina sniffed and laughed sadly. "I guess… you and I are not meant to be." she gripped her hand tightly on her skirt and lowered her head. She was still quivering in fear. "I-I'd be fine. As long as you are happy… I'd be all right wherever I am. Just jeep that in mind."

Then a moment of silence came. Neither of the two spoke for all reasons.

"Good! Naruto is doing very well! He nailed the perfect expression." Ino, who was hiding behind the curtains, curled the script between her hands. Beside her was their literature teacher, Anko Mitarashi.

"Great. They just need to keep that up." Anko whispered back.

"S-so!" Carmina regained her proper posture. "This is goodbye. I'm glad I met you…" she took one last glance at his face before leaving. "Good bye…" she said in the most painful tone of her voice. Then, she turned her back from him and walked away.

Darius still stood there without extra movements. He was as stiff as a statue.

"That idiot! He's stunned for so long! He should have grabbed Hinata's hand and hugged her by now!" Ino cursed.

When Hinata was far, she hesitated to take one more step. If she continued walking away, she would ruin the scene. She decided to halt for the meantime and give Naruto time to remember what he was supposed to do.

After some seconds, Naruto finally broke the ice surrounding his body. He ran towards where the girl was and turned her to face him.

Hinata was relieved that Naruto remembered his part.

"Let go of me, Darius. I have to leave. We have to end everything!" Carmina tried freeing herself from his grasp but he was too strong for her. "I can't be with you anymore! I—"

One action completely sealed her words all of a sudden. Not only her, but the audience… were all speechless of what they had witnessed on stage.

In the speed of light, Naruto's lips were on top of hers.

"W-what?" Ino dropped her script on the floor backstage as she saw the leading man's not-supposed-to-be actions. "He was just supposed to hug her tightly not kiss her! The kissing scene was replaced by a hug! That's the only reason why Neji-kun agreed to let her participate to this event." She complained to Anko. "Worse than that… Hinata's father is watching!"

"Ooooh. I guess he's growing up." Anko smirked playfully.

"Don't tell me you're having fun with this?" Ino nearly fell down the ground.

Jiraiya, Hiashi, and Minato were all stunned as they saw the scene on stage.

Neji was stiffer than ever.

Hanabi blushed madly as she covered her eyes but could still see the two on stage.

And Kiba…

Kiba was burning in rage at his seat.

It took several seconds before Hinata could react from those lips. And finally, she answered. She answered by accepting his kiss and kissing back.

The sweet kiss lasted for about more or less than ten seconds. Finally, Naruto decided to break it. He wrapped his arms around her fragile body and held her tightly as he could. He didn't know what happened at all. All he knew was, he started panicking when Hinata was walking away from him… when she was walking away from his life.

He didn't want that to happen. Never ever. Because right now… he just found out the answers to all his questions.

So, he had kissed her. And he knew that was the sign. He was sure of it now.

"No… I don't want you to go. I want you to stay with me." He said as he tightened his hug if it was still possible. He brushed her hair gently.

"But… But I'm dying—"

"I won't let you die! I'll protect your life… you'll be fine and I'll find a cure. You'll be cured!" he shouted on top of his lungs. "I won't leave you… no matter what you say or what other people say… I only belong to you. Nobody else."

Carmina began to tremble again. "I'm scared… I'm scared, Darius. I'm afraid of what might happen in the future." She placed her hands on top of his chest and clung on his shirt for dear life. "I don't want to leave you… never."

"You will not die. I won't let you… I promise." Naruto closed his eyes as tears stroke down his cheeks, and it wasn't hard for him to do it. Because he knew inside him, he was not acting anymore. He was not acting as Darius on stage and was not saying his lines as anybody else. He was just himself. He was just Uzumaki Naruto. He was Uzumaki Naruto, himself, hugging Hinata on stage.

"No matter what happens, I will always love you." He whispered to her.

He surely meant those words, because he didn't have any doubts anymore. He was not confused… he was very certain right at this very moment.

He was in love with this girl named Hyuuga Hinata.

* * *

><p>Kiba was madly gritting his teeth on his seat. "That guy... he'll pay for this." he cursed under his breath. "Hell! That part was deleted!" he complained to the quiet guy beside him named Shino.<p>

The ever so mysterious guy remained... well... mysterious. He just watched the scene quietly and paid no attention to his loud seatmate.

All the viewers were amazed by the work, fan girls screamed just as expected, and the others were already moved by the scene.

The whole play lasted for about two hours, at exactly 10pm, it was all over. All the participants introduced themselves and went to the backstage afterwards. Finally, it's done! And it was a huge success.

"_Minna_! Thank you all very much for your hard work! We couldn't have done it without everyone's cooperation! This year's play was another success!" Anko enthusiastically declared as she punched the air.

The cast and staff cheered.

"And of course to our great director!" Anko wrapped an arm around Ino and pinched the teenager's cheek.

"_Ittai_!" Ino whined but giggled in the end.

"I congratulate you all."

A woman's voice was heard from the backstage entrance.

"Tsunade-kochou!" Everyone exclaimed and bowed at the principal in respect.

"Tsunade-sama, thank you very much." Shizune said, "Eventhough I'm a retired teacher, you still gave me the chance to participate in this."

"Don't bother about it." Tsunade said, "Anyways, I really am overwhelmed to have such talented students in our school. The play was another huge success! So, we are going to celebrate all night. I know a great place where we can drink and it's going to be my treat!" she threw her fists up in the air.

"Wait... principal. We're minors, we can't drink yet." Sakura said in a low voice.

Tsunade came with the realization when she heard Sakura's interruption. She lowered her fists and idiotically scratched the back of her head, "Oh... My bad, my bad. Only for the adults!" she corrected herself, "Follow me!"

"It's been a while since I had a drink, maybe I'll join." Kurenai said.

"Then I'll go too." Asuma volunteered.

"Ah! It's so good to be so young!" Gai exaggerated.

"I'm very sorry, I can't go. I have to bring back the kids to the orphanage." Shizune said.

"Me, too. I sort of have plans for tonight." Kakashi said.

Gai strangled the silver-haired teacher by his arm, "No! You are coming with us! We have to settle our drinking match once and for all." he then dragged his rival forcefully with him.

"I'll be waiting for you guys at the front gate. Make it fast! I can't wait to drink my _sake_!" Tsunade then exited the backstage.

When the old lady was out, Naruto decided to approach the girl seated on the couch, drinking water. Suddenly, her cousin and a girl younger than her approached Hinata faster than him. Their sudden appearance made Naruto back out from his plan of going to her. After all, he had done a very _outlawed _action. When on stage, he forgot all about the monster cousin and great father of the maiden. For short, he let his emotions conquer his mind and body and so... it resulted for an absentminded kiss.

What an unforgivable thing to do!

But no matter what other people say, he was proud of himself for being able to do that. He was one hell of a brave lad.

That was even his first kiss! He could also conclude that it was her first, too. _No doubt about it_.

He stood a couple of yards away from them, when suddenly, the great night caught his eyes.

Uh-oh. Better run for his life.

That's right. He was supposed to meet up with Minato after the play. He was relieved that he remembered that. Making that as a reason would save him from the jaws of death. And so, he glanced at Hinata who didn't even notice him, and mentally promised Hinata that he would come back for her._ If neither Neji nor Hiashi will be there._

"He ran away." Neji muttered.

"Kyaa! Nee-chan! You're so beautiful!" Hanabi engulfed her with one of her bear hug attacks.

Hinata was pushed back a little when she had received the "love" from her younger sister. "Th-thank you, Hanabi." she tried to say clearly.

"And the kiss! OOOH! It was the best!" Hanabi hugged her even tighter. "Tell me, tell me. How does it feel? Your first kiss?" she asked desperately.

As usual, Hinata blushed hardly. She was in the midst of losing conciousness if Kiba hadn't interrupted.

"Hinata... can we talk?" the dog lover asked.

Hanabi let her sister go and eyed at Kiba. Her eyes suddenly widened when she familiarized who he was. "Ki... Kiba-san...?"

Hinata gave Hanabi a confused look, "How did you know Kiba-kun, Hanabi?"

"Oh... umm... I-I mean! D-don't you remember him, nee-chan? I-I used to play with Akamaru when we were young... He's Akamaru's owner! Y-you were in the same class as him in second grade or third grade." Hanabi tried her best not to stutter. And she badly failed. Why was that? She wasn't like Hinata who stutters all the time. But... it was _Kiba._

Hinata blinked numerously. "We were?" she then looked at Kiba who nodded for the answer. In a blink of an eye, her head was on the way half down her body. "I'm very sorry! I couldn't remember... no wonder you looked so familiar!" as expected, she apologized.

"Don't mind it. Raise your head, it's all right. It was a very long time, after all." Kiba said.

Hanabi aboutfaced when she heard him say _"It was a very long time, after all."._ She was slightly embarrassed, Hinata was the classmate who couldn't even remember him, but she was just the younger sister who freshly remembers him.

"Umm... can we talk now?" Kiba brought back the real topic why he was here.

"S-sure." Hinata stammered.

Kiba cleared his throat and looked at Neji and Hanabi, "Privately, please?"

"Ohh... ummm... I..." Hinata firstly gave Neji a look as if to ask for his permission.

Neji had his arms crossed over his chest as he walked pass Kiba coldly. "Just five minutes. Hiashi-sama would arrive soon." he then departed with a troubled Hanabi behind him.

* * *

><p>Five minutes. Kiba was only given five minutes, for pete's sake.<p>

He was finally alone with Hinata and they could talk peacefully. He brought her to a quiet place in the school gym, where only the both of them could hear each other.

"I'm sorry for earlier. I really couldn't remember you... If Hanabi weren't there... then I..." she had apologized once again.

"No. Forget about that. I didn't bring you here with me to talk about that... I have something else to say." Kiba said.

Hinata sighed in relief, "I see. Then what is it about? I'm all ears."

The moment Kiba met her pale innocent eyes, he felt like air was pulled out of his lungs. He never knew that Hinata was this beautiful at this very short distance between them. She really looked stunning tonight. Not that she wasn't beautiful in her daily appearance, it's just that... it was very rare to see her in a form like this. He was very happy that he was able to see her looking like this for the first time. Now, he was feeling really nervous that he didn't know how to start their conversation.

But he has to keep in mind that he was only given five minutes to finish this all up. He shouldn't waste that _LONG_ time.

How _generous _Neji was.

No backing out. He waited for several years to see her again. She waited for several years for this moment to arrive. After the long wait... it finally came.

Since when did it get hot during winter season? It felt like his clothes got tight and he was sweating cold sweat all over.

Her cute eyes were anxiously looking at him.

He couldn't help but blush.

"H-how should I say this... ummm..." he vaguely scratched the back of his head.

Hinata waited for him patiently.

_Come on, be a man, Inuzuka Kiba!_

"So..." he gulped hardly and looked away. "The kiss... how was it?" he asked in full of embarrassment.

"Eh?"

"That was not included in the play, right?" Kiba asked. He had a grumpy look on his face.

"Well... uhhh... I-I-"

As expected, Hinata couldn't form a normal sentence.

When Kiba noticed what trouble he was giving her, he quickly dropped the topic. "Sorry to have asked that... I-I was just curious."

Hinata gave him a look. "W-what?"

"Hinata. Listen to what I'm going to say, please? I have waited for this moment to arrive ever since you left Kyoto. So please... keep in mind and heart what I'm going to say." Kiba now looked determined for his aim. The blushing was still there but he didn't hesitate to tell her everything. His eyes were brave and he showed no more fear.

"S-sure. I'm paying attention." Hinata said.

"Hinata..." Kiba began walking closer to her. His arms were slightly lifting up as he walked closer.

"I love you."

Those three words occupied the whole place and in a blink of an eye, he had enveloped her in a tight hug.

Hinata's eyes were all wide as she received all his actions. Her arms and legs were stiff like a tree, even if she wanted to correct the happenings, she coudn't... because she didn't know how to. A guy just confessed his feelings for her. Maybe that was the reason why she was quickly recognized by him. The exact opposite of their cases.

He tightened his arms around her, not intending to let her go. "You may not remember how we first met but it was still clear to me." he whispered at her ears, "I was crying at the play ground because my mother scolded me for getting low grades in the exams. No one wanted to play with me because I got the lowest rank in class... but you came and asked me what was wrong. I even told you to scram but you didn't leave and insisted on helping me."

Kiba softly carrassed her smooth hair. "I felt really glad that you talked to me. I was even able to let out my feelings that time. I know it's silly but... the first time we talked to each other... I quickly fell in love with you." he said softly. "I never had the confidence to approach you since that time. You were Hiashi-sama's daughter and who was I? I was a kid who couldn't even solve a simple math problem. So I decided to study hard and become a math geek. I also worked out in sports so I could prove myself to you father and my family that I could do things on my own. That I could be the righteous guy for you when the time comes. You were the only girl I laid my eyes upon... no one else. I wish we could be together..."

Finally... he confessed.

"K-Kiba-kun..." Hinata said in a soft voice.

"I love you more than anything else." Kiba said and closed his eyes.

For the moment, both of them stayed attached to each other. But... Hinata can't let this be. She had to do something... this was wrong. With all her might, she gently pushed Kiba away from her, but wasn't able to get out of his arms. She directly looked at his slit eyes and shook her head.

"Why?" Kiba looked worried.

"You can't love me, Kiba-kun. You can't..." She said in a hoarse voice.

Kiba suddenly grabbed her arms, "Why? Why are you stopping me?"

"I don't want to hurt you..." she bit her lower lip as if to control her emotions. "We can't be together... you can't love me."

"Is it because your sick?" he said straightly.

Hinata was shocked, "How did you know about that?" she gasped.

"I found out about it a long time ago... I heard your father saying it to our teacher. I was eavesdropping, sorry." Kiba answered. "If you're worried about being sick, then don't be! I accept you for who you are. I can take care of you. I can take care of you. Just be with me... and I'll be the happiest."

Hinata looked down sadly, "I'm sorry... I'm very sorry..." she clenched her hand and placed it on top of her chest. "You can't love me..." she repeated once again.

"Are you afraid that I might get tired taking care of you? Look..." Kiba cupped her chin and made her face him. "I promise I'll always be with you. I will love you for who you are... and I_ want _to take care of you."

Hinata shook her head, "No... no... please, no..." she took a deep breath before letting out these words.

"I'm in love with someone else..."

She finally said.

That made Kiba drop his arms on his sides numbly. He was effectively silenced. He couldn't find words to say or... there was nothing for him to say at all.

"So... I'm sorry. I can't return these... pure feelings you have for me. I can not return the love you have kept all these years for me..." Hinata said in the saddest tone of her voice. "I think... it's best for you to move on and forget about me. You have to find another girl who'd love you deeply. We are not meant for each other." she caressed his cheeks gently and softened her eyes. "I... I can't hurt you more than I am hurting you right now. Please... you have to forget about me."

"No. I-"

"Please. Find another person who could be your real partner in life. I will pray... and hope from the bottom of my heart that you find her soon." she continued before he could protest. "I really am thankful that somebody loved me...I kept myself away from anyone because I can't afford to have friends due to my health condition. I decided to stay away... so when the time comes that God would take my life... no one else would get hurt. So please... forget about me."

"I can't! I can never do that! You were the only one... You were the only person I cherished so much next to my family. Even for a little... can you love me back?"

Hinata lowered her head and replied the negative.

"I'm truly sorry. I don't want to lie to you and keep your hopes up. It is just your sake that I am thinking of."

"My... sake?" He couldn't believe it. She was rejecting him for his sake? He knew why she kept doing that. He knew that she didn't want for him to suffer the same consequences she was facing now. He understood that... but why was she being so selfless? Despite all what she's been going through,she could still think of the sake of other people.

To stop hurting themselves in different ways, Hinata decided to say good bye and leave. She turned away and never looked back.

"Hinata..." he called before she could completely disappear from his sight.

The maiden halted from her steps and waited for further words from the guy.

"Is it Naruto?" he asked with a hint of pain in the tone of his voice.

It took a while before Hinata could give her answer. She had a moment of hesitation... but in the end... she nodded as her response. She then walked away and went back at the backstage.

Kiba was now alone. He just crouched down the floor and ruffled his front hair. He just chuckled to himself for the result of his major confession. So... this is what he would get after waiting for a long long time? Just... rejection because she loved another guy? And of all people, it was Uzumaki Naruto.

Uzumaki Naruto was the one whom she chose.

Once again... he lost to that guy.

* * *

><p>Minato and Naruto were now alone in a tranquil place. The lad was surprised that the doctor chose a very private place to have their conversation.<p>

"What's with you, doc? Is it that serious?" Naruto asked in his casual tone of voice. "Hinata's probably waiting for me inside so... can you make it quick? I still have to explain myself to her cousin and her father."

Minato looked directly at Naruto's eyes. He didn't plan on goofing around. He was here to set things straight.

"Naruto..." he began. "I'm your father."

TO BE CONTINUED.

* * *

><p><strong>an:**

yipee! the kiss finally happened!

a cliffhanger? *gets shot*

please review! thank you! The next chapter would be out in a few days. (Truthfully) I can update a lil bit sooner since I have discovered an effective way of how to access the net faster. hihihi! cheers!

**Minna- everyone**

**Ittai- ouch; it hurts**

**Sake- beer**


	19. Chapter 19: Family Matters

**a/n:**

hehehe! here it is! :) This chapter is my second favorite of all that I've written for this story. Well... my most favorite is chapter 20. XD thank you for everyone who reviewed! It really boost me up!

so with no further ado, I give you chapter 19.

**DISCLAIMER: AS USUAL, I DO NOT OWN NARUTO. IT BELONGS TO THE ONE AND ONLY AMAZING MASASHI KISHIMOTO-SAMA!**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 19: Family Matters<strong>

"I'm your father."

That's what Naruto heard from Minato. He knew his ears didn't fool him. He heard the doctor right... he was told that this man in front of him was his father.

F-A-T-H-E-R.

Father, the wife of his mother. The son of his grandmother and grandfather. The brother of his uncle and his auntie. Yes, that's right. That's what we call father.

Naruto cracked down laughing. "Wh-What was that, doc?" he said between his chuckles, "You're going too far there, 'ttebayo! You really made me laugh! That was a good joke!"

Minato felt bad seeing his son laugh at him when he finally sputtered out the truth. But, he continued looking stern. He didn't have time for jokes. He would do anything to make Naruto believe him. He was at fault, after all. He was afraid of telling the lad the truth... he made his to this point that the youngster didn't believe him anymore. He was afraid... afraid that his son wouldn't accept him.

Naruto stopped laughing when he saw Minato's serious look. Yeah, that's right. For five months of living under the same roof together, they had tons of weird and sudden conversations, but neither in all of them contained jokes.

"W-what are you saying?" his voice suddenly became shaky, "My parents were long dead. That's whay the old man told me. It's impossible."

The doctor clenched his fists. "That's what your mother and I told Jiraiya-sensei to do. When we don't come back for a long time and you begin looking for us, we told him to tell you that we were already dead. That was our agreement." he explained.

"Stop bluffing!" Naruto exclaimed.

"It's time for you to know the truth, Naruto." Minato's tone hardened. A tone that a father usually uses to discipline his child. "I planned telling it to you ever since we first met each other six months ago. But I didn't have the strength to do it. I've waited for the right time to come... I've decided that I would tell it to you this day when I finally found the courage to do it."

Naruto's gorgeous blue eyes focused on Minato's blue orbs. He always wondered why he and Minato had the same blue eyes... and even that spiky blond hair, for pete's sake! He thougth that that might only be a coincidence that sometimes—most of the time, he could see the same traits he had from the doctor.

Could it be?

Could it be that... Minato was telling the truth?

All along, he was living for almost half a year with his biological father and he didn't have any idea about it. No wonder he felt so relaed telling Minato his personal stories... no wonder he felt a special connection whenever they're together. One time, it even crossed his mind that there may be even a little possibility that they were related to one another. An uncle... an old friend... a godfather... or a father. But he quickly threw those thoughts away, reminding himself that it's only his grandfather whom he had as a family.

His parents were long dead.

At first, he didn't want to believe that sort of thing. He had always believed that his parents would return for him soon and they could live happily as a whole family. But, as time went by, he had learned to accept the fact that his mother and father are never going back. It's true that he accepted that they were gone... but deep inside him... he still believed that they're paths would cross again someday.

And that someday was today.

"You were alive all along." Naruto mumbled with a hint sense of anger in his tone, his fists were trembling at his sides and he glared at his so-called father with hostility. "Heck... how could you expect me to believe all of that? You're just someone I just met several years ago. My grandfather and I have been together ever since I was born. He was the one who took care of me, gave me a home and filled the emptiness in my heart for not having parents. Now, you'll come live with us and tell me that you're my... father? For seventeen years... I lived without a father...I didn't even see him or hear his voice even once. Now, you'll come...? You'll just appear out of the blue?

"Naruto... I—"

"Then if you really are my dad," he cut off Minato's words, "Why did you leave me behind? Why didn't you even come home and show yourself to me? Why didn't you call us? Why not inform us that you were alive?" he swifted his hand in thin air due to the strong emotion inside of him.

"Your mother and I had to leave due to family matters. We didn't want you involve in that at that time because you were just a baby. We don't want other people hurt you." Minato was beginning to lose his cool. But, he had to be kept composed. He expected for this to happen. He was gone for seventeen long years after all. Those moments he must have spent with his son were just taken away.

He knew that Kushina felt the same way, too.

"I don't know if I should believe you or not... And I don't know if I should despise you or not." Naruto said in a low voice, "But all I know is you decieved me. If you really are my father, you've hidden the most important fact that I should have known my whole life." with one last glare of intensity at the other blond, he turned and walked away. Before he knew it, he was running away like a brat.

"Naruto, wait." Minato stretched out his hand as if to stop his son from leaving.

"Don't follow me!" Naruto yelled, not even looking back at him. Then, he disappeared out of the man's view.

Minato wanted to chase after him but... his entire body was frozen. His legs wouldn't move even if he shouted in his mind that he had to run after Naruto. He just stood there... blaming himself for everything that's happened, wishing for Kushina to come back to him... and wanting to turn back time.

Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw a portion of a fragile girl in white by the back of the door opposite to where Naruto ran out at.

"Hinata... you're here."

The girl shyly came out with a troubled expression. She walked towards Minato and kept a normal distance. By the look of her face, it seemed she had heard everything.

"Minato-sensei..." she called out in a weak and confused tone of voice. "Naruto-kun is... your son? He was the one... that Kushina-san told me about? But how? Why...?" overlapping questions were expected by Minato from her.

Minato didn't answer. No, he couldn't answer at all.

By the silence coming from the man, Hinata quickly bowed her head and apologized. "S-sorry! I didn't mean to eavesdrop... I was just passing by and I saw both of you—"

"_Daijobu yo, _Hinata." Minato said, interrupting the maiden's apologies. He gave her a smile, a smile which he usually uses whenever he had to hide his real feelings. "You're right... Naruto is my son. I'm his father."

Hinata couldn't believe what she heard. Namikaze Minato, her personal doctor, was Uzumaki Naruto's father and she didn't have any idea about it. But there were many times she saw much of a resemblance.

"I'm sorry... I didn't tell it to you sooner." he said in a low voice, "Everything is just so... complicated right now."

Hinata went closer to him with a concerned look on her face, "Sensei... I'm just here if you need my help."

* * *

><p>Naruto kicked the mansion's door as he went inside. Even if the door was securely locked, he need not to use his keys to open it. His kick resulted for the door to break its door knob, even causing a slight crack from where he had hit it. Without saying words, he straightly went up to his room in a pissed off manner. It's like he's been through and fought a demon from there. In this state, no one dares to mess up with him.<p>

"Naruto! Get down here!" Jiraiya shouted.

Well, except for one person.

Naruto shut his door loudly that it echoed throughout the whole mansion. He ignored his grandfather's wild roars and just threw his jacket to his bed madly.

Without his permission, the door knob suddenly clicked and the door went widely open. It revealed the presence of Jiraiya.

"I called you several times didn't I? Why aren't you listening?" Jiraiya said in a booming voice.

Naruto faced his grandfather fiercely. His fists trembling in anger. "What Minato-san said... is it true?"

"Calm down. You have to listen." Jiraiya took a step closer.

Naruto kept a distant gap between them. "Tell it to me! Is it the truth? You were lying all along to me about my parents? Were you hiding the truth from me?" he gritted his teeth. "Are you even my grandfather?"

Jiraiya was frozen on his spot. He stopped moving as he heard the lad's offensive remarks. Instead of speaking, he just stared eye to eye with Naruto, words unnecessary for the both of them.

Naruto's eyes calmed down for some reason, but the anger was still there.

Jiraiya aboutfaced and walked across the room. When he was at the door's threshold, he halted and said quietly, "Follow me if you want to know everything."

After five seconds, without any hesitations, he followed his grandfather.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, in the Hyuuga Household.<p>

Hyuuga Hiashi was sitting at the living room, resting his legs for a while. For almost the whole night, he was standing and applauding for his daughter. He had told er many times how much he was proud of her. All he needed for now was a soft couch and a warm cup of coffee to refresh himself.

Later on, his daughters came along with his nephew.

He never expected to see Hinata looking like this. Usually, anyone who'd finished a play successfully would be full of joyfulness and excitement in spite of the tiresome work. But, what he saw from Hinata was completely the opposite. No signs showed that she was excited, happy and proud of herself. Instead, what he saw there was a face full of anxiousness. No matter how he looked at her, the reason why she looked like this was because of the kiss.

"Father," Hinata began. Looking more worried than ever.

"What's wrong?" Hiashi asked.

"Please... let me go out tonight." Hinata said.

"What?" Hiashi shot her a glare.

"I... I want to check on Naruto-kun and Minato-sensei." Hinata bravely answered.

"What sort of business do you have with them?" Hiashi asked, for sure, he would not let her go. Not at times like this.

"Minato-sensei is my doctor... Naruto-kun is my... dear friend. I want to help them with what they are facing. I can explain to you what they are facing and—"

Hiashi stood up and went close to her, that effectively stopped her from talking. "You don't have to meddle in their business. It's their family matter and you have no business associated with that."

Hinata's eyes widened from her father's response. "Y... you knew all along that they were father and... son?"

Hiashi closed his eyes and nodded well-respectedly, "Jiraiya told it to me several months ago when Minato-sensei came back from New York. Naruto is the son of Minato-sensei with his deceased wife, Kushina-san. I am aware too of what had happened between him and Naruto this night." he explained, he opened his eyes and glared at her in his usual disciplinary manner. "You can not do anything to help them. You have nothing to do with any of their family matters."

"M-maybe I could help them!" Hinata was still persistent even if she knew what answer would her father give her in return. "I want to help them."

"No. You are not to step out of this house. Since when did you learn to talk back to me? I don't remember teaching you those kinds of behavior." of course, Hiashi was still the same. The strict father who would make his daughters obey what he wishes for them. Though, it was for their own good.

"I—"

"You were influenced by the rebellious Uzumaki, weren't you?" He cut her off before she could talk back again, "Don't think that I wasn't informed of the attack you had last night. Neji told me all about it and whose fault it was."

"Don't tell me you also blame Naruto-kun for what had happened..." Hinata said in a weak voice.

"Who should I blame? It was him who dragged you to the museum, wasn't he? You're at fault too. Despite the circumstances you might experience, you still let him do whatever he wanted. Now, you know the results if you abide the rules I had given you." Hiashi countered.

"Otou-sama... please, do not be harsh to nee-chan. She wanted to see you that day to personally invite you for the play, right?" Hanabi interrupted to take side on her sister.

"Keep quiet, Hanabi." Hiashi commanded. "Even if your aim was to do that, you should have thought of what would not upset me. I can say that I really am proud of your performance for countless times. But have you any idea of what you might face after the play? If you just did the right thing right from the start, your body wouldn't have worsen. You don't need to see that lad ever again. Cut ties with him. After all, everything was partly his fault of what had happened to you last night."

"Father! Please, stop blaming him... He is not aware of the condition of my heart. He knew nothing about it..." Hinata raised her voice to let her speak her mind up. "Blame me instead, what I did was rather foolish... but he knew nothing. And I'm sorry... I'm sorry I can't cut ties with him yet. He might need me. He might need my help because he's still lost in a dark place in his life. I have to help him." she pleaded. No matter what punishment she'd receive from her father, her decision would not change. For once, she ought to follow what she wanted.

"What made you feel so special about him? Why are you always defending him?" Hiashi's tone hardened.

Hinata clasped her hand together in a curl. "Because he's the first friend I've ever had." she answered in a heartbeat. She was not afraid... not afraid to speak with him anymore. "I've always lived under your rules. Believing that what you have always told me was right and for my sake's wellness. I-I'm thankful of that because most of those kept me alive all this time. But... when I abided one rule... it completely changed my life. I was afraid to make friends at first because you might get mad... but when I started interacting with Naruto-kun, that was the first time I felt very happy ever since okaa-sama's death." she said, "Very happy that I was able to meet someone like him. That I had a friend like him... Because of Naruto-kun, I was able to get back my braveness and hopefulness. He changed me and made me a better and useful person."

Neither of the people in the living room spoke to stop Hinata from letting her feelings out. This was the very first time she had a heart-to-heart conversation with her father.

Neji just stood there quietly along with Hanabi.

There was a moment of silence in the room.

After a few second, Hinata decided to continue. Her eyes softened as tears threatened to fall from her eyes. All her life, she never thought that she would experience this special feeling for someone.

With determination and sureness in her voice, she had spoken the words her father never expected to hear.

"Otou-sama... I'm in love with Naruto-kun." She blinked her eyes and tears freely fell down to her cheeks. "I love him, 'tou-sama... I'm in love with him... I love him..." she repeated over and over as she covered her face with her bare hands.

Her soft moans began to turn into sobs. "I-I'm sorry... father... I'm... sorry..."

Her shoulders shook uncontrollably as she let out sobs.

"I've... fallen for him... father. Th-the first time we met... I've already had this... special feeling for him." she continued crying.

Without hearing words and being alert to anything, Hinata felt a warm touch wrapping her body. She knew who owned this warmth... she knew who owned this scent. She had smelled this scent long ago when she felt this warm feeling. It was still the same. Even if it was a long time ago when she had felt it, it was still the same. It never changed... except for the reason why she was crying.

Hiashi had enveloped her in his arms.

These arms were the ones she needed most at times like this.

"Let it all out, Hinata. Don't apologize." Hiashi said and gently carressed her hair.

Without hesitations, she buried her face on her father's hard chest and cried like a child. No one stopped her. All she needed for now was an arm to support her and no one exceeds it when it comes from her father. After all, he was the only one who could make her feel better whenever she was experiencing ups and downs in her life before she met Naruto.

It has been a long time since she cried on his arms. It's been a long time since real tears fell down from her eyes. The last time she weeped was when her mother died. Same situation happened to her from that moment to this moment.

Her father let her cry in his arms and never let her go until she stopped.

* * *

><p>Naruto and Jiraiya entered a very dark room at the hidden floor of the mansion. Jiraiya halted at the threshold and gave way to Naruto as he opened the door. "This is where you'll find the truth. Go in."<p>

Naruto hesitated to go further, "But you always forbid me to go in this room."

"Because the time hasn't come yet. But, you're in the right age now. It is time for you to know the truth about who you really are." Jiraiya said, "The memories of your parents are all kept in this room."

"My... parents?" Naruto gulped hard. All his life, he wanted to know and meet them. Finally, his long wait had ended. All of his questions will be answered by the time he enters this room in front of him. He stepped in and found the things inside being covered by white sheets to protect them from dusts. The bed room was clean and he could say that his grandfather never cared less for this place.

"This is the bedroom they used when you were still inside your mother's womb. They lived nearly two years here, but after five months of your birthday... they left you in my care to take care a family problem." Jiraiya explained.

Naruto remained silent. He continued observing the room and he flipped open one sheet from a covered table. A table light was placed on top of it and when he turned it on, it still gave off light. Few paces beside the lamp lied a picture frame containing a photo of a small family.

The background was their garden. A woman with red long hair wearing a simple dress carried a small figure in her arms, and strong arms from a man wrapped her waist that the small figure was kept secured between them. The man and the woman were smiling dearly at the baby. He grabbed the frame and took a better look at the photo. The first one he tried to familiarize was the woman with red hair. She had brown eyes, fair skin and the shape of her face was the same as the one he has. She was really beautiful but he had never seen her before in his life. He just had a strong feeling that she's very special to him. Then he turned to the man. The man had spiky blond hair and cool blue eyes. He looked like Minato. A slight younger version of Minato.

His heart began racing faster than ever. The last one he laid his eyes upon was the baby they were carrying. Just looking at the whiskers on the baby's face, he already knew the answer to his question.

He gently touched the protective glass.

"This is... me." he said softly. "And this man... he looks like Minato-san."

"That's the picture they have taken when you were one month old. The woman... named Kushina was your mother. And that man in there... is really Minato." Jiraiya said, "Before they left... Kushina left you a letter in the drawer of that working table. That is the exact spot where she had composed it."

Naruto sat down at the chair and slid open the drawer of the working table. The drawer only had the thin white envelope to occupy its space. First, he gently placed back the picture frame to its original position and then he immediately grabbed the envelope containing the letter.

It said, _TO NARUTO._

Carefully, he ripped the lid of the envelope and took the letter from the inside. He flipped the folded pages, and the first thing he noticed was his mother's neat handwriting. The complete opposite of his.

_Dear Naruto,_

_How are you doing, my son? I bet you've grown into a fine lad now, 'ttebane?_

He nearly laughed at the catch phrase he read on the first line. Dattebane. Now he knew how he got Dattebayo.

_First of all, I want to apologizefor leaving you behind. Your father and I are fixing some family matters between our clans. We don't want you to get involved in our problem... you were just a baby back then. We can't let our first born get hurt just because of the problem we caused. It was hard for us to leave you behind. I was hoping that the day we would depart would never come, but unfortunately, it came. That was the most horrible day of our lives... we never wanted to leave you behind. You are our son. Our son whom we loved so much. I wish our family could remain as a whole together. But... thinking that other people wanted to hurt you, I would sacrifice everything to keep you safe. We would protect you no matter what it takes from your father and I. Keeping you safe is the top priority of our life._

_The only person whom we can trust to protect you was Jiraiya-sensei. He's a perverted old man so try to bear with him, okay? But... he's a very amazing person. He was the one who helped us hide you from the people who were hunting us down. Because of him, I was able to deliver you out safely and normally. He's going to be your grandfather so treat him nicely, understand? He'll be the one to give you a home, and he'll be the one to raise you with love that we couldn't give. I'm sure you've grown into a fine lad because of Jiraiya-sensei's guidance._

_I know you've been living without out us for lots and lots of years now. You might be looking for us, despising us, wondering why we left you and might be lonely of not feeling a parents' love. If you're thinking that we left you behind because we didn't love you... If I were there, I would give you a hard smack on the head to wake you up. What you are thinking is very wrong, dattebane! We love you more than anything else in this world that's why we chose to leave you even it was hard for us. Got that? No matter what other people say, we will always love you. That will never ever change. And so, if you think that your parents never loved you, your head awaits for my knuckles!_

_Hmmm... what else should I say? Gomen, I'm not really good at this. But thinking that we would live a life without you as I compose this letter , I can't imagine it. You were the most precious treasure of our life. None of anything in this world could measure how important you are for us. Even if we weren't able to take care of you like what other parents do to their child, always remember that you're our most beloved son. There's not a day that we don't think about you. EVERYTHING we have done is for your sake and we will never regret doing that._

_As a mother, there are lots of things I want to do with you. I want to spend the rest of my time taking care of you, teaching you good manners, supporting you in your dreams and many more. All my life, my wish is to give you a mother's love and do my responsibilities as your mother. But all I could do for now is compose this letter and make Jiraiya-sensei give this to you when the right time comes. Keep in mind what I have to say, okay? Even without our presence beside you, you should live your life positively. Being the grandson of a famous person like Jiraiya-sensei will take some risks like other people wouldn't want to interact with you since you're a highly respected person, they wouldn't treat you like an ordinary kid, others wouldn't want to talk with you because you just came out of nowhere and became Jiraiya-sensei's grandson. It's painful to be alone, but be yourself. You'd be fine if you'll just be yourself. You're our son, after all. Don't let those burdens get in the way of your dreams and don't you ever give up. Always be kind to other people by thanking them and apologizing if you have done something wrong. Learn from your mistakes and be thankful to those people who care for you! And as for girls... try to find someone interesting like your mother. She must love you for who you are and could understand you. Someone that would never deceive you. There are lots of girls that would come to your life so wait for the right one to arrive._

_Love her with all your heart and be happy together!  
>Lastly... Minato and I are proud to have you as our son. Though, we haven't met... I can feel that you're a very nice and strong person. Anyone would be glad to have you as a friend and for us... a son.<em>

_Naruto, thank you for making me your mother and Minato as your father._

_Always remember that wherever you are or whatever you do..._

_We love you._

_Love, _

_Kushina Uzumaki Namikaze_

Drip.

Drop.

Drip.

Before Naruto knew it, tears were already flowing down from his eyes uncontrollably. He just finished reading the three pages of his mother's letter, and now... all of his questions were answered. His hands were shaking madly and he can't help himself but produce wails. The letter was still safely held by his hands, even how blurred his was from the overflowing tears on his eyes, he never wanted to blink for he didn't want for the letter to disappear. That was made by his mother... No matter how big or how small the thing was, as long as it's from his mother, anything couldn't measure how special it is for him.

"Kaa-chan... kaa-chan..." He started to mumble like a kid. He grabbed for the picture frame and held it tigthly along with the letter. He didn't care if he cried like a snotty kid. He wanted to let it ALL out since he was waiting for this moment for the rest of his life to arrive.

Jiraiya let the lad cry as long as he liked. He turned his back on him, "Naruto. Even if you're not really my grandson, I treated you as my real one with all my heart. I won't ever regret having you in my life. No matter what other people say, you will always be my idiotic grandson." he said and left Naruto alone.

Naruto heard Jiraiya's footsteps slowly fading away. Before his grandfather completely leaves, he shouted, "THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING, PERVERTED OLD MAN!"

Jiraiya smirked at himself. "Idiot." then he was out of sight.

After a moment of weeping, Naruto had regained his senses. He wiped the new forming tears on his eyes and swiftly ran out of the room carrying the letter and the frame with him.

He decided to look for Minato.

But fate wasn't making it hard for him, this time. When he got out of the house, Minato had just entered the front gate.

Minato halted on his steps as he saw Naruto. He wasn't surprised seeing the letter in the lad's grasp but what shocked him was the family picture. All this time, Jiraiya kept it secured. He never expected for that.

"You have read Kushina's letter." Minato said.

No response came from Naruto.

"Everything in there was written by your—"

Before he could continue with his explanation, he suddenly felt tight arms around him. For the very first time... he had felt this from his son.

"Otou-chan..." Naruto said. He began crying again. In every sob he let out, he hugged his father tighter and tighter that he doesn't want to let go. "I... I... I have always wanted to meet you!"

Minato didn't think twice of hugging Naruto back. He ruffled his son's hair and closed his eyes as he kept feeling the lad's shakes. Tears also came out without his permission. "I'm back... Naruto, my son." he said softly, "Sorry... I couldn't bring your mother back... I wasn't strong enough to protect her. But now... I won't ever leave you again."

"I-I've always wanted to see you and mom. Even if I can't see her anymore, I was still able to feel her love in this letter she left. And you came back for me." Naruto said between his sobs. "I'm very happy that you're back. This means a lot to me. I never despised you two because I know... you did everything for a reason. I kept believing that I would see you again even if gramps told me that both of you were dead. I never lost hope until the day has finally come, which is right now... to be able to see you again."

"Naruto..." Minato sobbed.

"It's great to have you home, 'tou-chan..." Naruto said and hugged him tighter as long as it was still possible.

His father did the same.

Both of them remained like that for a long moment. After all, this was the very first time they felt the warmth. For Naruto, the warmth of a father's love... and for Minato, the warmth of a son's love.

TO BE CONTINUED.

* * *

><p><strong>an:**

I hope I made you guys cry... While I was typing this... I cried! TT^TT and while I was typing this, I was watching an impeachment trial. xD (Nvm me.)

SO! the NaruHina moment is arriving soon! I'm giving you all a spoiler of what would happen to the next chapter since all of you guys are kind to me. :D

Chapter 20: A present for Hinata

dun... dun... dunnn... Naruto will finally confess to her!

hihihihihi!

Please review! Thank you!

**VOCABULARY**

**Daijobu yo- it's fine**

**Gomen- sorry**


	20. Chapter 20: A Present for Hinata

**a/n:  
><strong>

****Thank you very much for the reviews! You guys made me cry! It's sweat coming from the heart! Kokoro no ase! (As said by Yankumi from Gokusen)

It really is hard to type if you don't want anybody seeing you typing. *sigh* So I had to work on this chappy at nights... My eye bags are extremely killing me. I'm so happy that school hasn't started for me yet!TT^TT

All right. Please, Enjoy the chapter! :D

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO.**

**Chapter 20: A Present for Hinata**

December 27.

It was the fourth day of Naruto's undying happy days. Two days after Christmas and three days befor New Year. He had never felt so happy before in his entire life. December 23rd was a very memorable date for him. That was the night of the play, when he found out that he was in love with Hyuuga Hinata, when he kissed her for the very first time, when he read his deceased mother's letter, and when Minato confessed that he was his father. After the long wait, finally... he was reunited with his family. This was the most eventful and special year of his life.

Naruto never expected so much for Christmas. Usually, his Christmas was spent by opening tons of gifts from fan girls, holding a ball or a part in the mansion, attending other people's celebration, touring around places... a typical event for a grandson of a rich person. But, those things weren't enough to fill the emptiness in his heart. It's true that they were rich and could do anything they wanted like in one snap of a finger once he wished to have something, it would be easily granted. Video games, gadgets, computers, sports wear, clothes... anything he wants, he can easily get it for Christmas. But, neither of those materials made him happy.

Now, he was finally able to feel the spirit of Christmas. He didn't need any of those expensive and hard to get materials. As long as his father was with him, he'd be the happiest of all. His dad's return was the greatest gift he had for Christmas, along with his mother's letter and grandfather's presence.

He just needs one more person to make his year complete.

A certain Hyuuga girl.

Today was her seventeenth birthday. It has been four days since he last saw her. The last time was when they kissed each other on stage and after that, no communications and presence. On Christmas eve, he called for her mobile number to greet her a Merry Christmas, but what are the odds? The one who answered the phone was not her... instead, it was Hiashi. So, he ended up talking with the maiden's father. So, he also unintentionally confessed what he was planning for the Hyuga daughter's birthday, which was today. For some reason, he was able to convince Hiashi-sama. And in the end, he never even got to talk with the girl.

Everything was planned by him. He already got a present for her, which he worked so hard looking for with the help of his father. He would do anything to make this day perfect. Not only for her, but also for him. But his top priority was to make her happy even if he ends up crying.

Because today, he was one-hundred percent sure. No hesitations. No doubts. Complete decisions.

Naruto would confess to Hinata.

* * *

><p>9 am.<p>

"Naruto, I'm going out for work." Minato knocked on his son's door before departing.

After informing the lad, he heard a bunch of noise inside the room. Footsteps, thuds, and more heavy footsteps.

"Wait!" Naruto yelled. Then desperately, the door was widely opened to reveal a haggard Naruto.

Minato blinked. His son looked hilarious, but he would upset the teenager if he laughed about his struggles. Father knew why he had that look.

"Help me! I don't want to sound like an idiot in front of Hinata!" Naruto clung to his father's shirt desperately and begged him to stay.

"I've tried everything... but I'm not satified! I'm going to make a fool out of myself later and she is so going to reject me!"

Minato vaguely shoved Naruto off of him, trying his best not to be that rude. No matter how he looked at it, the scene expressed a man getting rid of a beggar who's being pushy around. When he successfully removed the boy from him, he placed supportive hands on the lad's shoulders.

"Come on, you have to think positively. Just be yourself and you'd be fine." he smiled, "Besides, I think Hinata is too nice to reject you or anyone."

Naruto literally froze on his spot when he heard his father's words of _encouragement._ For him, the situation was only made worse.

_Hinata is too nice to reject anyone._

He felt pity for himself.

Thanks for that, Namikaze Minato.

"Oi. Naruto, _daijobu?" _

Naruto didn't respond. He pushed the doctor away and shut his door loudly.

Minato blinked again before he heard the wild roar from the room.

"SHE IS NOT GOING TO PITY ME!"

And so, Minato chuckled upon hearing the lad's words. He began walking away having a blissful expression, as he walked down the stairs, that blissful face faded away. He stopped on his steps and tightly clutched the folder he held containing important files.

That folder... contained Hyuuga Hinata's evaluation.

The reason why he was going out was because he had to meet up with Hinata's family.

* * *

><p>"Hinata, I love you. I don't know what I would do if I don't hear your voice or see your face in one day. I want to see you always... be with me. I will make you happy."<p>

After moments of staring at himself in front of his mirror, he threw the pillow he was carrying that served as his temporary boquet of flowers towards his reflection.

"No one would be convinced with that, 'ttebayo!" He sat down on his bed in a bad boy manner and exasperately ruffled his hair.

That was the sevety-seventh line he rehearsed since he woke up this morning, actually, he hadn't slept at all. He began working on his speech at 5am, unfortunately, no development had occurred for him. He was already getting out of words and he still couldn't find the right group to say. Time was ticking. Time was running out. Six hours to go, then he would meet Hinata. How could he help it? He wasn't a romantic person, after all. He couldn't even imagine was he suddenly fell in love with her. For now... all he knew was he loved her. No matter what other people say, he would fight for these strong feelings he had for the maiden.

But... what about her? Would she feel the same for him?

Even if he didn't want to admit it... he was afraid of getting rejected.

Way to go, Uzumaki Naruto.

"Aaaaaaaaaargh! Darn it!" Naruto freely fell down on his soft bed and spread his arms sidewards. He stared blankly at the ceiling, thinking of what may happen later. Then, a flash of unexpected memory occured in his mind. It was the night when Sakura confronted him and asked for his real feelings. And what had he done? He lied and ran away like a scaredy cat. It's because he was afraid to get rejected. Until now, that was the reason that kept holding him back. But, everything would be different starting now. He'd change himself and not run away anymore.

He would not be afraid.

He would accept everything without hesitations.

But, he really needs to work hard on his speech. Seriously, it sounded really lame and corny.

So, the only person he could seek for advice is his best friend, Sasuke. He reached for his phone and called the guy who lived in Las Vegas.

The phone he was contacting continued to ring. After several rings that almost reached up to last ring, finally, the Uchiha picked up.

"Heck. Why did you call, dobe?"

The warm welcome of Sasuke Uchiha entered Naruto's eardrums. It sounded like a person who just woke up from a beauty sleep. It was only 6pm in Las Vegas, since when did Sasuke learn to sleep early?

"It's just 6pm there. Why are you so grumpy at the time I called for an emergency?" Naruto blurted.

"I spent three sleepless nights. This is the only day I got a day-off and I just got to bed five minutes ago." Sasuke said.

"Oh, sorry about that, mister." Naruto said sarcastically, "I just need your help about something."

_*Clunk*_

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

Then the line was disconnected.

"_Yarou..."_ Naruto cursed. He pressed the re-dial button and tried to reach Sasuke again. The next thing he heard, the operator said "The line is not accessible at the moment, please try again later." The guy had apparently switched off his cell phone.

"IDIOT!" Naruto threw his mobile phone towards his pillows. There goes his one and only hope... First was Minato, then Sasuke... he didn' want to go for his plan C, but he was left no choice.

He had to consult the womanizer.

Naruto hoisted himself up and went out of his room. He ran through the hallways, jumped down the staircase, and loudly knocked on his grandfather's door. He didn't stop until the old man was out.

"What do you want!" Jiraiya had a furious face, he was still in his bathrobe.

Naruto looked down, already embarrassed of himself.

Jiraiya impatiently waited for Naruto's explanation as he crossed his arms over his chest.

Naruto searched around the area first to see if telling it to his father was safe. It appeared that no one was at their floor for the moment... so he decided to tell it.

"Help me with girls, please." he asked, trying his best not to sound pathetic.

It appeared as if a tumbleweed bounced lifelessly at their area due to the sudden pure silence. Naruto was blushing and was moving his gaze at different directions. He wasn't able to defend himself when he heard the defeaning sound echo throughout the whole mansion.

"HAHAHAHAHA!" Jiraiya cracked down laughing, "I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! YOU, HAVING TROUBLE WITH GIRLS? YOU ARE SO MAKING ME LAUGH!"

"You perverted old—" Naruto quickly covered the old man's mouth to prevent him exposing the ultimate secret. He pushed Jiraiya inside and kicked close the door. "Shut up, will you?"

Jiraiya removed Naruto's hand. He was still shaking due to the unstoppable laugh. He even had tears in his eyes. He wanted to say something but wasn't able to because he was having a hard time tolerating the extreme laughter.

Naruto wanted to send his grandfather flying towards the wall, but he couldn't do that for now because he was the one asking for the old man's help. He couldn't fail this. So, he just let Jiraiya laugh his ass off.

After a couple of seconds, Jiraiya finally stopped to take a break. He sat down on his sofa and breathed air desperately. He took a brief sip at his coffee and rested his arms at the sofa's backrest. He gave the teenage boy an inquisitive glare.

"If you have to look for "things" you have to use for tonight with "her", then go over there to find what you need." Jiraiya made an upward movement of his head, reverse of a nod, pointing towards his collection of porn magazines area, as well as his other porn things.

Naruto's blush of embarrassment turned to a blush of madness. "That's not what I came for! And we're not doing those sort of... things. I'm not that kind of guy and she's not that kind of girl!" he defended.

"Oooh. Then what's your reason?" Jiraiya crossed his legs.

"Umm... well... you know..." Naruto began sweating. He pulled his front shirt forward as if to lessen the tightness he was feeling in his chest. "I... I'm confessing to Hinata this afternoon. And, I still couldn't find the words to say... I don't want to look uncool in front of her later." he explained.

Jiraiya, who was momentarily drinking his coffee, suddenly choked. He placed down his cup and bumped his chest until he stopped choking.

"You're going to what?"_ cough. cough. cough._

"Yeah! I'm going to confess to her! Got a problem with that? I'm in love with Hinata." Naruto announced proudly.

Jiraiya stared at the boy with wide eyes. Later on, a huge grin appeared on his face. "I was afraid that you're not straight! Now, I don't have to worry about that anymore. You were always hanging around with Sasuke..."

Naruto nearly fell down. "Y... you think I'm gay?"

Jiraiya stood up, "I am proud of you, boy. As your reward, I'm going to give you photos that I secretly took when she's doing her private things." he gave Naruto a narrow stare.

In a blink of an eye, Naruto pinned the old man against the wall and strangled him. "Try saying that again... you're dead meat." he threatened as he gritted his teeth.

Jiraiya sweatdropped, "I'm just kidding. I didn't harrass her or anything!" he felt relieved when he felt the grip loosen.

"O-oh! Uhh... sorry about that. I didn't mean to attack you. I just don't want anyone do those kinds of things to her." Naruto said embarrassingly. He was supposed to control his temper, but he got carried away. No one dares to mess with his pure Hinata.

"It's fine, it's fine." Jiraiya regained his composure. "You're just overprotective of her. She's nice beautiful, cute, rich, intelligent, talented and has a nice body. Anyone would be so lucky to have her." he cupped his chin, "I approve to her. You have good taste, that's why I call you my grandson."

"So! Help me confess to her!" Naruto pleaded.

Jiraiya smirked, "Sure."

Naruto attentively listened and patiently waited for his grandfather's advice.

Blank air.

No one spoke.

Silence.

Still, Naruto waited.

And finally, the legendary words have come.

"Get the hell out of my room."

Naruto blinked, "You want me to say that to her? That's not related to confessing at all!" he yelled.

Jiraiya's eyebrows twitched when he realized how dense this person was. "YOU-ARE-SUCH-AN-I-DI-OT." he syllabicated, "Get out of my room!"

"Wh-what? But you said you'll help me!" Naruto protested.

Jiraiya pushed Naruto out of his _paradise_ a.k.a, his bedroom. "I won't help you! You're the one who's confessing. You shouldn't take other people's words since you're the one who's going to tell her how YOU really feel. Be yourself and scram! Just tell her what you want to say even if you sound lame! At least you told her what you really feel."

Then, the door was loudly slammed.

Naruto stood there, not moving an inch.

He looked dumbfounded.

* * *

><p>11am, Hyuga Household.<p>

It has been forty-five minutes since Minato had left the mansion. It was the day of Hinata's check-up. Instead of her, going to the hospital, Minato was the one who went to their house to do his work.

"How is she doing... 'tou-sama...?" Hanabi looked up to her father with teary eyes.

Hiashi placed a supportive hand on her shoulder, "Your sister is strong, she'll be fine." he said with calmness. He forced a fake smile to reassure his youngest daughter. He does hope that everything would be fine...

"I'll... talk to her." Neji said. He then walked across the room and towards where Hinata was sitting. Since the doctor left, she hadn't said a single word. The look of her melancholic face in every angle pained him, he wanted to make that crestfallen expression go away.

Hinata was sitting lifelessly at the couch, staring lifelessly at her lap. She had that expression ever since Minato left. An expression that Neji never wanted to see again. She had the same aspect when her mother died, and it took a while for her to be able to go back to her normal self.

Neji stood in front of her. "Hinata..." he spoke in a low voice.

Hinata didn't bother to look up. She hadn't noticed him at all. She was still lost in her own world. Neji knew that look of hers, it was the look that she was forcing herself not to cry. Oh, how he hated to see that. He placed a hand on top of her shoulder and shook her gently to gain her attention.

"Hinata." He repeated, now his voice more stern.

Now, she was able to acknowledge his presence.

Slowly, she lifted her head up and met his concerned eyes. When she was able to comprehend that it was her noble cousin who was standing in front of her, she quickly changed the expression of her face to hide what she was honestly feeling. She gave him a smile that didn't even reached her eyes. "Oh, ni-san... what is it?"

Neji stared directly at her lifeless eyes. He was getting mad. Why was she always doing that? Why was she hiding what she really feels? Did she think that he was dumb enough to be convinced with that fake smile? He had known her all his life, for God's sake. He knew her well as much as she knew him... better than anyone else. Better than _Naruto. _Does she expect that he would believe that fake smile she was emitting?

Who was she trying to kid?

Of all people, why did she even hide it from him? From her ever loyal cousin? She didn't have to keep it all to herself. She was not alone. He knew that she's going through lots of hardships that other people wouldn't able to handle, but there she was, keeping it all to herself, thinking that other people would be worried about her if she showed any weaknesses.

As usual, she was being selfless.

And that was very pissing him off.

Without warnings, he grabbed her arms and hoisted her up. He wrapped his arms around her, enveloping her in a warm embrace.

What Neji had done gave shock to Hinata, definitely.

"N-Ni-san?" she blinked several times, confused of her cousin's unexpected actions.

"Stop doing this, will you? Why are you being so selfless, Hinata?" Neji said in an unsual tone of his calm voice. "Even from me... why do you keep hiding your true self? You never express yourself to me... even once. I want to help you, too."

Hinata literally paralyzed when she heard her cousin's warm words. Yeah, who was she kidding? He was Hyuuga Neji. The great prodigy of their family. Anyone doesn't have to be a prodigy to figure out what she truthfully feels. Obviously, after hearing _that_ from Minato, who would not feel crestfallen, unwell and scared?

She closed her eyes and quivered.

Neji felt that shake. He wrapped his arms tighter to stop it, "Don't worry. I'm here for you..." he whispered. "I will never leave you alone."

Hinata bit her lower lip. She was still shaking even if she commanded her body to stop. All she could do was return the warm hug given to her. "I'm... sorry. I'm being selfish again, aren't I?" she let out a weak giggle, "I don't want to share my thoughts, I keep it all to myself, and I'm not acknowledging your presence. Thinking that you don't want to be bothered by me..." she buried her head on his chest.

"I'm really sorry... what I was thinking was wrong..."

How did it end up like this? Why did she have to apologize? And... her? Selfish? Was she trying to kill his conscience? She was the most selfless person he knew in his entire life. Still, she categorized herself as "selfish".

"I'm fine, ni-san. I-I really am fine." Hinata pulled away and gave him a bright smile. "As long as you, Hanabi, 'tou-sama and the others are with me... I'll be all right. I have to be strong not only for myself, but also for the sake of those people who are important to me.

At least, what Neji saw now was not a fictitious smile anymore. But, even if she told him that she was going to be fine, he was still anxious to the bones. After all, it's her life that's on the line.

Hinata gave the wall clock a quick glance, "I should be getting ready... Naruto-kun would come to fetch me this afternoon." she then freed herself from his grasp and walked away.

Before she takes a step away from Neji, he instictively grabbed her hand and prevented her to go away. "Don't go..." he said.

"What are you saying, ni-san? Father allowed me to go and meet him." Hinata said.

What Hinata said on the night after the play still bothered him. He was afraid to hear those words from her. He was afraid that she would realize her true feelings for Uzumaki Naruto. Because right from the start, he knew... Hinata looked at the guy in a special way. He had a strong judgment that his cousin would have extraordinary feelings for the blond.

And he was not wrong. Hinata fell in love with the rebellious guy. Little did she know, Naruto also fell in love with her and was supposed to confess to her this afternoon.

"Stop seeing him. He's not worth your time and what if he founds out that you're—" Neji stopped in the midst of his statement. He couldn't possibly speak those words at all. "What if he found out about that? He would leave you and find someone else. In the end, you're the one who's going to be hurt."

"Is that what you're worried about, Ni-san? You don't have to be..." Hinata replied, "I'm fine even if he won't return these feelings I have. God has given me enough happiness—no—more happiness than I've expected. I'm thankful for that and... I'm already contented." she looked down. "So, even if he doesn't love me back, I'm fine with that. The important thing is... I've loved him with all my heart and that will never change. After all, he was the one who kept me alive all this time. I can't thank him enough for that."

She retrieved her hand from Neji's hold.

"Besides... I've planned to tell it all to him." she then walked away.

Neji was left in the room alone. He was literally frozen on his spot, and this was the umpteenth time that she had done that to him.

Indeed, she never failed to paralyze him.

* * *

><p>After a couple of hours, the doorbell rang in the Hyuuga Household. The gate keeper opened the front gate and let the guest drive inside the compound. As soon as Hinata heard the ring, she quickly ran down the stairs, acting a little improper there, she ignored her father scoldings and she momentarily forgot that she was wearing her mother's white winter dress. Nevertheless, the damsel ran towards the front door like a track and fielder. Neji was supposed to open it, but like a gust of a wind, Hinata had done the work herself.<p>

Sooner, her pale eyes saw the person she was longing to see.

"Naruto-kun!" She said in a tone with full of delightfulness. It was automatic.

Naruto's blue eyes grew wide as he saw his date.

After days of not seeing her... not hearing her voice... not feeling the warmth of those smiles... he could really say that he missed her. _A bunch_. He didn't even expect that she would be the one to welcome him. Usually, it was Neji, but he was just there standing at the corner.

It would be nice if Neji weren't around at all.

Hinata had a feeling that Neji was giving those exquisite glared again to Naruto. Before her cousin could ruin the moment, she acted first by telling her father that they were ready to leave. She then went out and walked with him.

"Wait." Neji said before they could get away.

Naruto looked back at the Hyuuga prodigy. He was shot a serious glare by the ever apathetic eyes of the genius.

"I hate to say this but... I trust you. Take good care of her this whole afternoon and don't you dare do unpleasant things, understand?" Neji looked royally embarrassed as he said his reminders to Hinata's date.

Naruto was astounded by the jerk's—Neji's words. Of all people, he didn't expect to hear those sort of expressions from someone like him. Not even once. Not even a second. Not in his whole life. Things were changing now. He was always mad even if he just saw Neji's face, always pissed off when he hears his voice, just all the negative vibes come inside him whenever Hyuuga Neji was around. But, as mentioned earlier, it changed now. And it's all because of Hinata. She didn't have any ideas how much she changed his life.

For the ver first time in Naruto's life, he grinned at Neji. "You can count on me." he then offered a hand to Hinata and escorted her down the porch steps.

Hinata blushed at the sudden contact, but deep inside, she loved it.

Together, they got inside the car and drove away from the mansion.

* * *

><p>First destination, skating rink.<p>

The place was incredibly crowded. When Hinata and Naruto had finished putting on their skating shoes, they saw uncountable couples dating at the venue, too. Most of them young couples, and others were a our hero and heroine, being surrounded by those people who had sort of relationships made them insecure and shy.

One couple commented that he and she looked cute together.

_Blush._

Another said that they were so sweet.

_Blush._

Others say that they look so young and pure.

_Blush._

And so, both of them looked as red as tomatoes.

Hinata timidly clutched Naruto's jacket. She looked down to avoid his eyes.

"Umm... I-I never skated before."

Her voice was filled with embarrassment.

"It's going to be all right. I'm not going to let you fall... though, it's your first time so falling down can't be ignored." Naruto gulped. " But, I'm going to support you as much as I can, so don't be scared." he said in a low voice and offered a hand to Hinata. Here it is... it was starting.

Naruto's lameness, that is.

All of a sudden, Hinata's nervousness faded away as she heard Naruto's words. Without hesitations, she gave her hand to him and let him take control of her in the skating rink. She felt his full support as he held her arms tightly, their bodies were so close together as they skated through the rink, and he was gentle in every dash the made. She was having so much fun... and if they could only stay like this forever, she'd want nothing else in this world.

But who was she kidding? That will never happen, she knew it herself.

"Just relax your body and you'll be able to balance yourself." Naruto said.

Hinata followed him obidiently. He was looking down at her feet and trying to calm her down. She was staring directly at his handsome face and adoring the whiskers he had. She hadn't paid much attention to what he was explaining at all. Maybe if Naruto were ice, he probably melted minutes ago by her stares.

The moment Naruto averted his gaze and noticed her eyes, she quickly blushed and looked away.

"Hey, what' wrong?" he asked.

Hinata shook her head nervously.

Naruto smirked playfully, "You were staring at me, weren't you?" he inched his face closer to her.

"E-eh?" she turned even redder. She slightly backed away, but not able to get a comfortable distance since he was holding her.

"I caught you. Why were you staring at me?" their faces were now twelve inches away, and he was intending to get closer.

"I-I..." Hinata stammered. "I... wasn't staring." She said. She knew herself that she was a bad liar.

"Come on, don't deny it. You were captivated by my cool looks, right?" Naruto raised a brow, "You can stare at me as much as you want... and I do the same to you."

That's it. Panic shot through Hinata. The "relaxed" nature left her and she wasn't able to balance herself anymore. Her knees wobbled and the surface beneath her was really slippery. Due to her lose of control, she slipped and accidentally dragged Naruto down with her.

And so, both of them fell down.

The twelve inches distance of their faces became three inches, noses nearly touching each other, and one wrong move, lips would... collide.

Naruto was on top of Hinata, pinning her down the cold floor. Both of them were lost at the moment... no one dared to move for they didn't know what to do. And they attracted too much attention, not only for the couples, but also for the children.

"Mama! Papa! What are they doing?" a child pointed at them in a curious manner.

The child's mother quickly lured her son away from Naruto and Hinata. "Don't look at them, dear. Forget what you saw, okay?"

Naruto and Hinata blushed. Indeed, they were in an erotic position... in public.

Naruto surely and carefully rose up, throwing all his clumsiness. He turned to the crowd and yelled, "Mind your own business!"

When Naruto successfully drove the others away, Hinata sat up and felt guilty. "I... I'm so sorry." she said. "Be-because I didn't know how to skate... Naruto-kun has to be troubled by it... and even this happened." she lowered her head and clenched her hands on her thighs.

Naruto was hurt by her defenseless look. He skated towards her and crouched down to level her eyes. "Hey, don't apologize. Don't let that get into you." he said and offered her a hand, "If you're really sorry, then you'll let me teach you how to skate. Pay attention to me this time and try not to be distracted by my coolness."

Hinata lifted her angelic face, she gave her hand to him and nodded.

Naruto helped her get back to her feet. This time, Hinata paid attention to all his instructions.

Moments later, they were seen skating side-by-side together.

* * *

><p>The future couple's next destination was the aquarium, where they spent most of their time in the afternoon. They watched the dolphin exhibition, went to see the penguins, the turtles, the sharks... they've seen almost everything that was to see in the aquarium. They really had a great time, but... the main event wasn't starting yet.<p>

After they had gone to the aquarium, Naruto drove to their next destination. The Ichiraku Restaurant, one of the finest restaurants in the city and the best restaurant for Naruto.

"_Chotto_... Naruto-kun, isn't it expensive here? Is it okay for us to eat in this place?" Hinata asked concernedly.

Naruto gave her a thumbs-up. "It's fine. Don't be such a worry wart." he then playfully pinched her cheek.

"_Mou..._" Hinata touched her freshly pinched cheek, "But, this is just too much. I think we should—"

"What did I tell you? Don't worry. Everything is under control. Trust me." Naruto placed her hand at his arm, "This is all for you. Today is a very special day and I want you to be happy."

Hinata was speechless. More blushing came. What if he was also feeling the same way?

No. Impossible.

"Good evening, ma'am, sir. We are expecting for your arrival." The good-looking pale skinned waiter welcomed them politely.

"S-Sai!" Naruto was wide-eyed, "Why are you here?"

"Tonight, I will be your faithful waiter, Naruto-kun, Hinata-san." Sai answered.

"But... how?" Naruto frowned.

"I was appointed by Danzo-oji-sama to be trained here. Since I had good looks, the owner of this shop accepted me in this job. This is my first night, and you two are my 52nd customers." Sai said. "I shall lead you to your table."

"Che. Of all people, why does it have to be Sai?" Naruto mumbled. Then they followed the royal waiter.

"You're really working hard, Sai-kun. Congratulations." Hinata said.

"Thank you very much for your kind remarks, but all I have to do is escort both of you to your table. I feel bad for not having the opportunity to serve you, Hinata-san." Sai explained.

"What do you mean?" Hinata asked.

Sai remained quiet after that. He led the future couple away from the dining area and led them to a quiet hallway.

"Naruto-kun?" Hinata gave him a confused glance.

But he looked away.

They had entered a room far from the regular customers.

"I shall leave you two alone now. Enjoy your night." Sai gently bowed and closed the door. The two were now left in the romantic room.

There were candles surrounding the place that emitted a red-orange effect in the whole room. The food was ready and looked incredibly delicious. A boquet of red roses formally settled on the middle of the table.

Hinata was completely mesmerized by the atmosphere. Was everything... for her?

"Naruto-kun, this is..." Hinata smiled, "...amazing."

"Y-you think so...?" Naruto looked far away, really nervous of the situation.

Hinata nodded. "Umm... is this really all... for me?"

"Y-yeah. Sort of," Naruto grew more embarrassed. He escorted Hinata to her chair and picked up the boquet of roses on the table.

"Here, for you." he extended his hands and offered it to her. He was looking away as he gave it to her.

"Oh! Th-thank you." Hinata blushed harder and harder. She accepted the roses and placed it on her lap. The boquet looked very beautiful. All of the roses were blooming and smelled fresh. The color was sharp and the texture of petals felt so smooth and soft. This was the perfect boquet for her.

Then, soft music began to play at their background.

That made Naruto more nervous than ever. After rehearsing for several hours with his pillow as his temporary boquet all morning, in the end, all he told her was "Here, for you." He so messed up with that. But, from the look of her face, it seemed he was rather successful. She looked very happy, and that was his goal to start with, right?

Naruto sat opposite Hinata. Now, he couldn't hide the redness of his face anymore.

He meant it, he really sucks at situations like this.

"W-will you listen to what I've got to say?" Naruto cleared his throat. "I-I'm not really good at things like this... so... somehow, hear me out."

"S-sure..." Hinata replied.

"C-close your eyes first. " Naruto said.

"Eh?" Hinata blinked cutely.

"I'm not gonna do something bad!" Naruto quickly explained himself, "I'm not that type of guy even if we're alone in this room... j-just close your eyes."

"O-Okay..." Hinata then did what Naruto asked her to. She closed her eyes.

Now was the right time. Naruto mentally prayed for the Lord's guidance. He stood up from his seat and went at the back of Hinata. Gently, he touched the maiden's silky hair and placed on top of her right shoulder. Without the hair falling down her back, her smooth-looking nape was exposed to his very eyes. This made his heart race faster. He wanted to touch her... kiss her... hug her. She was so beautiful that he could just lose control.

_Dude, snap out of it!_

He knew himself that he was getting carried away. And that was just her nape. He was a boy and she was a girl, after all. Plus, they were alone in the room.

He had to control himself.

He grabbed a shiny long object from his shirt's pocket and got her neck encircled by it. His fingers slightly touched her smooth skin that it was made more complicated for him to attach the lock. Somehow, he was able to do it correctly.

And now... he was feeling very confident of what he was about to do.

"Open your eyes..." he said.

Slowly, Hinata began to open her eyes. She felt something light hanging around her neck, she looked down her chest and saw a very shiny silver key. Her eyes widened when she saw something as beautiful as this.

"Look there... see how stunning you are." Naruto whispered and pointed at the mirrored wall at their right side.

Hinata followed his direction. She landed her eyes at the mirrored wall and saw her reflection. She saw the silver key attached to the silver necklace around her neck. Her eyes widened at what she saw... This was the very first time that she felt surprised of her appearance. She looked... different. _In a good way._

Naruto leaned closer to her, "You're so beautiful." he said. "See this?" he took something inside his shirt and showed it to her. He was wearing a locket, in a shape of a heart with a keyhole on its center. "They're matched together. I can't open this locket without its key... and that key is useless without this locket." he said, "I brought it for us... and as my present for your birthday."

"You mean... these are all for... my birthday?" Hinata asked. The roses, the venue, the dinner...

"Yes." Naruto answered. "Do you want to see what's inside this locket?" he inched his necklace closer to her. "Just use the key."

Hinata grabbed the key and unlocked the locket. This time, Hinata didn't get anxious about their closeness. What she saw in the locket surprised her even more. It was the picture of them on their first date. The one they took from the photo booth of the amusement park.

"You still had this with you... I feel so happy..." she said.

"I... treasure this so much. You remember what I told you at the swan boat that time? When I'm so confused of what I'm feeling?" he paused and saw her nod before he continued, "You know what, I'm not troubled anymore. I found it all out on my own... Everything is clear to me now." Naruto held Hinata's hand, which she used to open the locket.

"You have the key to my heart. He supported his body by just holding onto the back of her chair with his other free hand. He bent closer and closer to her and landed a soft peck on her forehead.

His sky blue eyes stared directly at her pale orbs. This was the right time. He had no hesitations anymore... and as he told her earlier, he was not confused anymore.

With all his heart... he had told her,

"I love you."

The three words that could change their lives forever.

Without saying more, he had done the move that could change their lives forever.

Once again, he kissed her. Sweetly.

Yep. That was the one move that could change their lives forever.

Hinata slowly closed her wide open eyes as she felt his warm soft lips and without hesitations, she kissed him back.

Unlike what they had on stage, this kiss was more passionate. Overflowing feelings were felt by each other's lips as they crashed deeper and deeper. The boy couldn't hold back anymore that he imparted his lips and asked permission for his tongue. The girl was shocked at first when she felt something else wanting to go in her mouth, but... she gladly let it in. And she had done the same thing.

The next thing they knew, they were breathing heavily when their kiss ended.

Both of them never felt something like this in their whole lives. This was one memory that neither of them could forget. Especially Hinata.

"I love you more than anything else in this world..." he whispered to her ear and rested his head on her nape.

Hinata sighed in pleasure. She could feel his hot breath against her skin and held his hand tighter, "I told you not to fall in love with me." she said in a soft voice as she felt his warm lips landing on her nape that gave butterflies to her stomach.

"That promise," he lifted his head and settled his forehead against on top of hers. "...is already broken before you had even told it to me. It's too late... You can't stop this feeling inside of me anymore. I'll tell it to you over and over... and make you feel it over and over. I want you to know how much I love you."

Hinata stood up from her chair to make it easier for him since he was bending over her the whole time. She was just at the level of his nose, even if she was already on her two-inches heels shoes. She deeply stared at his sparkly eyes.

"I... never thought you would feel the same for me." She said, "This was the best birthday of my life." Tears stroke down her cheeks as she gave him that pure smile of hers.

"Don't cry. I just want to see that beautiful smile of yours." Naruto gently wiped her tears by the use of his thumb.

"But... I am smiling." She sniffed.

When her tears were completely gone, Naruto grinned at her. "That's more like it."

Hinata blushed to the highest point of her blushing meter.

Naruto cupped her chin and lifted her head up. For another time, he told her... "I love you." and before he heard her response, he captured her lips with another kiss.

He didn't have to listen to her response. He could already feel it. Because the kiss was hotter than the previous one.

Together in that night, they kissed longer than they have ever imagined. The food got cold before they knew it...

and in the end, Hinata wasn't able to tell what she had to say to Naruto.

TO BE CONTINUED.

* * *

><p><strong>an:**

****While I was typing this, I was listening to **Suki Da Yo by Otsuka Ai.** It kind of suited the NaruHina moment. Tehee!

I just want you to know that school would start for me next week. And next month, I'll be very busy because of my Brother's wedding. I don't think being a maid of honor suits me... *sigh* I wish my celebrity crush would attend the wedding... Yeah, what got me excited was because showbiz personalities are invited to my bro's wedding! But what I really need now is a good night sleep.

Good night! Probably while you're reading this, I'm still asleep or I just woke up. :D

Please Review! Thank you!

**VOCABULARY**

**daijobu- are you all right?**

**yarou- bastard; idiot**

**chotto- wait**


	21. Chapter 21: Be fair, Hinata

**a/n:  
><strong>

I... I AM DEEPLY SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING FOR DECADES! You know... school's back. And I transferred because we migrated... adjustment... and I've faced some mentality problems. TT^TT I met up with my mom's psychologist to help me because I've been really depressed and stressed out. I was very weak that I even missed school for some days. *sigh* But, I'm fine now! :)

Here you go... here's chapter 21~!

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 21: Be fair, Hinata<strong>

Naruto brought the Hyuuga heiress back to the Hyuuga Household. They haven't noticed the time since they were enjoying themselves too much. They spent their night dining at the Ichiraku Restaurant. Both of them wished that if it were possible, they wouldn't want for this night to end. It was just so romantic, peaceful and a little unrealistic. The new couple still couldn't believe that everything happened in this very day. 27th of December, Hinata's 17th birthday.

For Naruto, it was one of his greatest days in his whole life—no—probably the greatest day of his whole life. He had never felt so happy and peaceful before. He couldn't imagine that Hinata was his girlfriend now, starting from this day, at that very moment. He never thought that it would be her, of all people. For all these years, it was only Sakura whom he liked... only her that he cared for, and he didn't even think that he would be able to move on after that rejection. But what he felt for Hinata was completely different from what he felt for Sakura. He couldn't explain it in words, but he was sure that his feelings for the Hyuuga were stronger and unexplainable. Because of her, he was able to forget all the pain he experienced from Sakura in a short time. Even before the night when Sakura found out that he had feelings for her, he was just incredibly dumb and naive to realize that he had special feelings for Hyuuga Hinata starting from the very first day they met each other.

For Hinata, her 17th birthday was the most special day of her life. She never felt so happy in her entire life. She never thought of being in a relationship with someone even for a second. It was true that she loved him, but she never imagined that they would be together and he would return the feelings she had kept for him. Indeed, she thought that she was living in a fairytale but... this time, it was reality. And she was thankful for everything. This was just too much. For a girl like her, meeting him was enough. But, she never thought that it could be so much more.

Naruto escorted her up the porch steps. It was already 9pm; he was supposed to send her home at exactly 7pm, which was the maximum time.

Before Hinata entered the mansion, she faced Naruto and looked very hesitant. Once she stepped in there, everything would end. And she didn't want that to happen yet.

Naruto could easily read her like a book(as if he read books). The look of a hundred percent hesitation was clearly seen from her face. He knew that she didn't want to go home yet, but rules are rules. Even if he didn't want for her to go home too, he was a little afraid of the mighty father of the girl.

"You should have this with you." Hinata removed the jacket that Naruto made her wear on their way back. "Your other jacket is with me in my room... I should give back, too."

"No, it's fine." Naruto took the jacket from her, "Take the other one as a present from me, too. It's my favorite so... I entrust it to you." he grinned.

"Okay." Hinata smiled.

Naruto gave the bouquet of roses to her, "So... umm... see you on New Year's day?"

Hinata nodded. "Sure. I'd be happy if you accompany me to the shrine."

"Shrine? Then I'm going to see you in a kimono?" Naruto's eyes widened in excitement.

"Y-yes." Hinata replied shyly.

"_Yosh_! I'm looking forward to that! I know you'll look very beautiful!" his eyes beamed in amazement.

That made Hinata blush at her highest parameter.

For Naruto, seeing her blush like that looked very adorable. After all, he was the only one who could make her blush like that.

Then, there was silence. Neither of them moved, spoke or did things that they ought to. They just stood there, staring at each other's eyes, not wanting to be apart.

"Th-thank you very much for today. I had a great time." Hinata finally broke the ice, for she knew that her cousin's or father's eyes might be lurking from behind. "This is the best birthday I had... and I-I really am thankful that I have a spot in Naruto-kun's heart." she gathered all the courage inside her to say those words. She was nervous, so it was normal for her to stutter. Before she could bow to show her gratitude, Naruto quickly stopped her by holding her shoulders.

He knew that the bowing was coming, so he prevented it. She was his girlfriend. She shouldn't treat him like a majesty. "Don't do that anymore, you're my girlfriend, Hinata. Instead of bowing, you should just kiss me if you really are thankful."

Hinata blinked her eyes in surprise, "E-eh?"

Naruto found her innocent actions just too cute. "Hahahahah!" he laughed heartily and patted her head. "I'm just kidding you. Go inside now, your cousin might barge out of the house and kill me for taking you home so late." he said, "By the way, tell him that we're—"

His words were cut off suddenly by her unexpected actions. In a blink of an eye, her lips were on top of his, sealing it in a quick peck. When she pulled back, her bright red cheeks were clearly visible even from the dim light.

"Thank you very much for this day." Hinata said with a sweet smile. "Please, be careful on your way—"

Before she could finish her sentence, she was pinned at the door and was trapped in Naruto's arms. Her eyes were locked with his, and they were kissing again before she knew it.

After half a minute, Naruto finally pulled back, leaving her lips alone. He gently caressed her cheeks with his hand and made their noses touch.

"One more thing... I like being kissed by the girl I love... but I like it more when I kiss her." he whispered. He then pulled away when noticing sharp eyes hidden behind the curtains.

"I better go now." Naruto said. "See you on New Year's. I'll be bringing my camera." he winked and walked down the porch steps. Before he entered his car, he waved good-bye at his beloved girlfriend.

Hinata waved back, and then he was gone. She smiled at herself as she entered the mansion, and the first thing that came in her mind was to look for a vase for the roses. The lights were already off at the hallways, so when she was searching for the switches to turn on the lights, someone had already done the job for her.

"Ni-san." She said, not surprised at all.

"You're late." The Hyuuga prodigy said.

Of course, the girl quickly apologized. "Did... did you see u-us?" she asked nervously.

The prodigy didn't reply to her question. And silence means "yes". His eyes were focused at the bouquet on her arms. "If you're looking for a vase, there's a vacant one near the library. Hiashi-sama was called for an event at the museum. He is scheduled to come back for the New Year."

Hinata looked down. A bit disappointed of what she had heard. "Oh, I see..." she was supposed to tell her father about her newly formed relationship with Naruto, but that could wait for a while. Telling it to him personally was better than telling it over the phone.

"Go to sleep after you take a bath." Neji said as he turned away.

"Wait, ni-san..." Hinata called for him before he left. "A-about Naruto-kun and I..."

Neji looked back at her in an apathetic manner. He knew what she was going to say, so there's no point of listening to her drabbles. Seriously, he just saw them kissing outside, by seeing that, he already knew that there's something between them. He doesn't have to be a prodigy to notice that. Even a kindergartener could say that they're already "girlfriend" and "boyfriend".

"...and I wasn't able to tell him about my illness." she said in a sad tone of voice. "I'm sorry... I couldn't."

Neji hated to see this look again. He wasn't used to see her lonely and this was the second time of the day he saw her like that.

"I am not against Uzumaki Naruto anymore. I know you're old enough to do what is right. You have to be fair, Hinata. You know that."

Hinata bit her lower lip. "I-I just don't know what to do anymore... when he confessed to me... I was very happy. I couldn't believe that it was real. I never expected him to return my feelings." she paused. "At that time... I could really feel how important I am to Naruto-kun. I-I couldn't get myself to my senses... I couldn't afford to tell him."

She began trembling as fresh tears start forming in her big pale eyes.

Neji knew that she was trying to hold them back as much as she could, but she wasn't strong enough to do that anymore.

"I-I didn't want to make him sad at that time... I'm scared to hurt him... I just don't know if I did the right thing." tears started streaming down her cheeks and droplets fell down on the roses' red petals. "At that moment... I-I was thinking that why was the world unfair? Why can't everything just go well between the two of us? Why did he have to fall in with someone like... me? God is good all the time... but why do things have to be unfair?"

What was the thing Neji hated most? Hinata's sobs. It pained him.

But he was hearing it again.

The girl fell down to her knees as she continued weeping. The roses had several droplets from her eyes now.

"But... I do not have a reason—to blame God." She said between her sobs. "What... should I do?"

The fragile figure on the floor was definitely hurting and hurting Neji more than being kicked by Karate master on the stomach.

Then, there was silence. Only her sobs filled the spaces. Her tears were like a flowing river.

Neji approached the poor girl. He crouched down to level her. He placed placed his hand on her scalp and pulled her close to his chest. He rested his chin on top of her head and tried to calm her down. "It's going to be all right. Don't worry."

And that's what all he could say.

Hinata freely cried on Neji's chest. Between her sobs, she said, "H-how? How is i-it going to be all right? Tell me... how?"

Neji truthfully admitted to himself that he was no genius at all. Sure, he was an honor student, a karate expert, a true prodigy of their clan, a well-respected person and a topnotcher... but he couldn't give his cousin the right answers. He could be useless sometimes, too. Only sometimes. But why does he have to be useless at this moment when his cousin needed his help? Also, this was the very first time she asked for his help.

Without saying any further words, he just let her cry in his arms until she was satisfied.

In the end, he couldn't do anything to make her smile again and make things right.

* * *

><p>Naruto came back by bursting into the mansion. He ran through the hallways to look for his father and his perverted grandfather, luckily, they were just in the balcony by the living room, drinking... wine.<p>

"'_Tou-chan! Oyaji_!" he shouted that it distracted the two men's drinking.

Jiraiya choked and burst out a high class wine, only from Italy. He wiped his wine-scented mouth with the back of his sleeves and then yelled back, "What the heck? Now you show up! We were just talking about you!"

Minato was gently patting the old man's back.

"Welcome back, Naruto." Minato said.

Narut ignored the old man's complaints. He stood in front of them in a prideful way, happiness could be clearly seen from his youthful face.

"HINATA IS MY GIRLFRIEND STARTING TODAY!" he lively announced before he heard the...

*CRASH!*

The glass of wine that Minato was holding slipped down his hand and fell towards the tiled floor.

"What?" the man's blue eyes widened.

That ruined Naruto's mood. His dreamy eyes were replaced by a frown. "You okay, dad? Is something the matter?" he asked, a little bit distracted by his father's reactions. Of course, he expected him to join the celebration of claiming Hinata this day. But the reaction he just saw was the complete opposite of what he expected.

Jiraiya looked at Minato. He elbowed the elder blond as if to get him back to his senses.

"Oh!" Minato exclaimed. "W-way to go, son! Congratulations." he made his way towards Naruto and ruffled the lad's blond hair. "Your mother would be so proud of you right now. You're growing up!"

Naruto grinned. "Yeah! And Hinata also had feelings for me, dattebayo!" he said excitedly. "I know that there are lots of hardships we have to face in a relationship, but I will do my best to always make her happy!"

Minato's eyes softened. He could see himself in his son. That's what exactly he told Kushina when he asked her to be his lover. Right now, he really is proud of Naruto. But, at the same time, he felt really bad. He knew that... Hinata hadn't told anything to the lad about her condition.

"He still has a looooong way to go." Jiraiya took a sip at his newly refilled wine glass. "You two are still young and inexperienced. However, maybe I should focus on the bright side since I'm expecting grandchildren before I die." he stood up from his seat and filled wine into the other empty glass and then walked towards Naruto.

"She could be a fine mother. She could bear twins if luck's on your side. Your child will take over my company when I'm weak and useless. The other one could be the next heir of the Uzumaki-Namikaze corporation after your generation." he then gave Naruto the wine.

"Once the company becomes more successful as ever, I can finally rest in peace!" the old man exclaimed. "But before that, I should make sure you know how to make babies."

Naruto blushed in madness. "W-what are you saying! I'm not going to do that to her yet! We're not that kind of couple, you perverted old man!"

"Just drink up." Jiraiya forced the glass towards Naruto's mouth and made him drink every drop of the fine wine.

"Jiraiya-sensei! He's still not eighteen!" Minato exclaimed.

Jiraiya pulled back. "Let this be his first wine. After all, it's worth celebrating for getting himself a girlfriend."

Naruto blinked and grabbed the whole bottle. After drinking that one glass of wine, his face was already red. "This is good! LET'S DRINK! CHEERS TO MY SUCCESS!" he gulped at the whole bottle suddenly.

Minato and Jiraiya stared blankly at him.

"You're right. I should have waited for him to turn eighteen." Jiraiya commented.

"He's already drunk after that one glass." Minato sweatdropped.

"HINATA! I LOVE YOU!"

* * *

><p>Meanwhile in the Hyuga Household, Hinata was done taking a bath and she was already drying her dripping wet hair. Without warnings, she suddenly sneezed.<p>

It felt like someone was talking about her. She then disregarded the weird feeling. Maybe she was just cold…

As she continued blow-drying her hair, an orange figure suddenly caught her attention. The stuff toy on her study table, the one she got from Naruto from the Amusement Park. She turned off the blower and placed it on the table and then she replaced it by grabbing Kyubi between her hands. She couldn't help but smile as she stared at the cute stuff toy.

"Naruto-kun…" she whispered to herself.

* * *

><p>January 1.<p>

Here comes the New Year. _Akemashite omedetou gozaimasu! _Everyone has been saying that around the city. Simply because it's New Year. People were already in their traditional kimonos and shrines were starting to get crowded. The chance to pull out fortunes to know if you have good luck , great luck, bad luck or moderate luck, and of course, you'll have to spend the whole day with your loved ones.

That was what Naruto was planning and no one will dare to stop him.

He was standing by the front door and ringing the door bell of the Hyuuga mansion. He tried to look as formal as he could, but with his spiky hair… that was quite impossible to achieve. He just wore a thick orange jacket since it was getting colder and colder day by day. In fact, he looked handsome even with just wearing that. He was perfect for Hinata.

After several seconds, the door opened and revealed none other than his beautiful girlfriend's… father. Naruto suddenly felt so little and scared because of that inquisitive glare and stern face.

"G-good morning, sir." Naruto greeted. Why was he nervous all of a sudden? Hinata probably told the Hyuga master about his relationship with her so… there's nothing to be afraid of.

Or… is it another way around? He should be more nervous since he made such relationships with the Hyuga's precious daughter.

"Come inside. Hinata is waiting." Hiashi said in his usual tone and let the lad enter the mansion for the very first time.

"Y-yes, sir." Naruto replied politely. He could be polite sometimes too, you know. Well, it's Hinata's father after all. Once he showed impudence, that's the end between him and the girl he loves. He would do anything just to be with her. He firstly removed his boots and laid them at the shoe rack before stepping inside. This was Hyuga Neji's mansion. Though, he felt more of Hinata's presence than of Neji's. This is where she walks every day… stays every day… runs every day… it was creepy of him to think that Hinata's footsteps were just beneath his shadows, but who cares? It was her footsteps. Every single detail about her is important to him.

"Take a seat. You shall wait here while Neji fetches her." Hiashi said.

"Yes." Naruto obeyed what he was told and patiently waited for his girl without complaints. But a little insecure of Hiashi's presence.

Hiashi was just seated opposite of him, only the round table served as their boundary, and he was glaring at the blond without holding back. It's as if he wanted to kill the guy.

Where were the maids and butlers? Why was Naruto alone with the father?

Somebody, save him!

"Hinata had told me about your relationship with each other. I am here to have a serious talk with you about that matter, Uzumaki Naruto." Hiashi began.

Naruto gulped.

"First of all… Hinata is the eldest daughter and is the future heiress of the clan. Just because you are Jiraiya-sama's grandson and Minato-san's son, it doesn't mean I am easily approved by this. If you really love my daughter, you will have to accept all the consequences you might encounter in the near future." he said, "I am not against with your relationship. I just ought to know if you really are serious about her and if you're not like some other youngsters who kept playing around. Remember, she is MY daughter. Once I find out that you were just fooling around, we will immediately cut ties with you without hearing your side. And if it were just possible, I would have given you a swift execution myself."

As expected from Hyuga Hiashi. So straight forward.

Naruto was getting more and more nervous as he heard him speak. But, he had to be courageous to prove himself that he's the one for Hinata.

"Father, I-"

"Do not call me father. You are not my son."

Hiashi replied automatically.

"Oh… umm… yeah. Sorry about that, sir." Naruto grinned idiotically.

"I will not let you enter any Hyuga Households if I hear you calling me that again." Hiashi said.

"Yes, sir." Naruto said. How many times had he said sir? "Sir," there it was again, "I am very serious about your daughter. I mean it. I can prove you that I'm not like other guys who just goof around and hurt other people's feelings."

Hiashi gave respect and allowed the lad to speak.

"I will not let anyone hurt her. I will protect her just like the way you have protected her in her whole life… or even more than that. I can be the man she can trust with her life… and I have no plans to let her get away from me."

"You know… words are easy to say. We can all say, _I will be the king; I will conquer the world; I can do it; I will defeat them;… I love you_. Without failing a single detail. But those simple words contain much difficult or nearly impossible actions that man would commit. I have been through a lot in my life so I met a lot of people who swear and break their promises. People make promises and vows easily… but when the time comes they realize that what they promised is impossible to keep, that's when they tend to break it." Hiashi said. "People are like that with no exceptions. Even great and well-known people break their vows."

Naruto stood up from the couch and looked for something around the living room. And he didn't hold back of what he planned to do. He grabbed for a knife that was displayed at the living room, (an Egyptian knife) more of like a dagger, he drew it out and in a blink of an eye, blood dripped down on the floor. The red liquid came from the flesh of his palm as he gripped at the sharp dagger tightly.

Hiashi was astounded. His stern face was slightly destroyed by witnessing the lad's unpredictable actions. He stood up from the couch in alert.

Naruto stretched his fisted left hand to give the Hyuga master a better look of his freshly drawn out blood. Hiashi saw determined eyes that he rarely saw in his life. He once saw it in Sarutobi Hiruzen, Jiraiya and Minato. No wonder Naruto was Minato's son.

"I do not go back on my own words. That is my way of living." Naruto said with full of braveness in his tone. No stuttering. No stammering. He said it with full confidence.

Hiashi was impressed by the lad's braveness. He could feel that Naruto was dead serious about Hinata. Just looking at his eyes, he could somehow trust the Uzumaki for he knew that this young man was the cause of how Hinata obtained that kind of eyes.

He could now believe what Hinata said about Naruto.

It's true that _he_ was the one who changed her.

It's true that _he _was the one who kept her alive all this time.

"Naruto-kun!" the angelic voice came from upstairs with no other owner but Hinata. Beside her was Hyuuga Neji, the prodigy of the family and at her other side was Hyuuga Hanabi.

Just like what Hinata promised, she was wearing a winter kimono. It was green in color and has a Nadeshiko flower as its design. It matched with its pink obi and wooden slippers. Her usual untied dark blue hair was settled in a low bun sealing it with a simple Sakura hairpin. She wore no make-up, revealing her naturally pinkish cheeks and shiny lips, she completely looked simple, but God, she looked incredible. He had never seen such a cute creature in his life… it may be a crime to be that cute.

By seeing his girlfriend, he momentarily forgot that his hand was bleeding.

"Naruto-kun! Your hand!" anxiousness filled all over her pretty face as she swiftly ran down the stairs towards him.

"Father… what happened here?"

"I will summon for a nurse to treat his wound. We will have him treated before you leave." Hiashi said as he walked away.

"Thank you, father." Hinata then turned back to Naruto, "What happened? Why are you bleeding?" she asked again.

Naruto smiled, "It's nothing serious. I just tested the dagger's sharpness and challenged your father to see if it was real. It seemed I won." He chucked boyishly.

Hinata was about to grab for Naruto's injured hand but the lad quickly gestured it away from her.

"No, no. You wouldn't want to touch my bleeding hand while wearing that very decent kimono and I wouldn't want it, too." Naruto said.

Hinata's face flushed. "I-I will go get a towel. Hang in there, please." Hinata sprinted away as if a taxi was waiting outside for her. Once again, he made the maiden worry.

"Hinata is not as dumb as you think." Neji said. "It may appear that she believes in other people's lies. But she is not easy to fool."

"Is that so?" Naruto vaguely scratched the back of his head with his uninjured hand. "Well... I can't bring up what her father and I talked about since it's a man to man conversation. But, I know that she knows it already. She's wise…"

"Hey, mister." Hanabi rudely interrupted the conversation. "Don't you dare play games on my sister! I forgive you for putting her in danger twice—no—thrice!" she raised three fingers to emphasize the number, "I couldn't barely forgive you for the third time but my sister kept telling me that you're such a nice person and I should stop judging you. I couldn't argue with her. If you already proved her that you are nice, then prove it to us also!"

"Y-yes, ma'am." Naruto said. "Ummm… but may I ask… what do you mean by thrice?" he asked, for all he knew, the only times he put her in danger were when he was saved by her from being beaten up by Kankuro's gang and saving her from being kidnapped. When was the other one?

"You have forgotten? I can't believe you!" Hanabi raised her voice, "It was ALL your fault. Don't you know that my sister nearly d—"

"Hanabi. Stop it." Neji quickly cut her words to prevent her for saying anything further.

Naruto shot Neji a confused look. "Nearly what?"

Hanabi groaned and walked away, "Never mind." She was now out of sight.

Then, Hinata came back with the nurse her father called carrying the medical kit.

* * *

><p>Naruto and Hinata were both on their way towards the Konoha Shrine. His hand was finally bandaged and his wound stopped bleeding. Hinata did a pretty good job stopping the blood from the deep wound he intentionally made just to prove his loyalty to her in front of the maiden's father. He didn't regret getting injured for her. She was the girl whom he loves after all.<p>

"Naruto-kun… what did father tell you? Did he mention anything?" Hinata asked out of the blue.

"Oh… yeah… about that…" Naruto began. He hesitated to answer her because he was afraid that his tongue would slip to reveal that the cause of the wound of his left hand was his conversation with her father. But, he had to tell her. He already lied about the wound.

"Just a couple of things about relationships and vows. You know, a man to man talk." He replied.

"Oh… Is it forbidden for me to know?" she asked.

"Well, it's not like that. It's really lame just to express it in words… sooner you'll find it out by watching over my actions towards you." Naruto smirked. "After all, actions speak louder than words." He winked.

"I see. I'm quite sure father developed a liking towards you." Hinata smiled.

"Really? I do hope so." Naruto chuckled.

A few more kilometers, they would reach their destination. A lot of people were already walking on the sidewalks to reach the shrine. He had to look for a perfect parking spot for the car since the area won't allow vehicles to enter.

"By the way, Hanabi told me something." Naruto said. "Something about me putting you in danger for the third time."

Hinata gave him a look.

"It seemed that she told me something I wouldn't need to know so Neji stopped her. Something about that you nearly d… that's what I just heard and Hanabi was quite furious. What was that about?"

Hinata didn't know what to say. Was this the right time to tell him? But… she was not yet ready. Of all people, telling it to him was the hardest thing to do. She couldn't blame Hanabi for slipping… her little sister was indeed very mad at him when she found out that she had a sudden heart attack. At least, Hanabi didn't tell him deeper information than that. Thank Goodness her noble cousin was there to put a stop to it. If Neji weren't there, she would feel very bad for letting other people confess it to Naruto. Worse, by accident.

_*Beep Beep Beep_*

Naruto's phone alerted him. At the same time, he found a good parking space. Before he read the message he received, he perfectly parked the car at the area.

Saved by the bell. Hinata was delayed.

"Hang on, I'll just read this." Naruto said and flipped open his cell phone.

"_Happy New Year, Naruto and Hinata! Have a nice and joyful day!_

_Sasuke-kun and I are together right now. He'll send you a message, too. ^_^ I wish you two were here to see how beautiful it is in Vegas! Anyways, have fun today. I know you two are together. __

_Also, Itachi-san said Hi to you and congratulated you for getting yourself a cute girlfriend. Later!"_

-Sakura-chan

"How nice of Sakura-san. I'm glad that she and Sasuke-kun saw each other again." Hinata said.

"Yeah, good for them." Naruto agreed. After a few seconds, another message came. As expected, it was from Sasuke.

"_It's New Year. Try to get a brain, dobe. Don't be killed by your stupidity. Well, at least she's there to help you."_

-Sasuke-teme

Hinata giggled at Sasuke's message. It was so simple… but she knew that it meant a lot for Naruto.

"That idiot. He is so gonna get when he comes back. Don't he dare show his face to me! Let's go, Hinata." Naruto went out of the car.

Hinata just smiled to herself. The lad had no idea how he could make her smile with just simple actions. Well, how could she help it? He was the only one capable of doing that. No one else! And, she knew herself that he was missing Sasuke more than anyone else.

Also, she was thankful that Sasuke and Sakura texted. The message made Naruto forget their topic.

Saved by the bell… just like what she said earlier.

* * *

><p>Familiar faces lurked around the shrine. The first pair they saw was Kakashi and Shizune. Then, few paces away were Shikamaru and Ino. Then, there were Asuma and Kurenai… and at the farther area were Temari, Gaara and Kankuro.<p>

They exchanged greetings with them, but the couples they saw kept denying that they weren't here to be a couple. But for Naruto, he was proud to say that Hinata is his girlfriend. Hinata felt that way, too. But she was not that explicit to emphasize it. Naruto could just feel it by feeling her hands wrap his arm. He was contented with that. He knew that she only belonged to him.

After having a short chat with Kankuro, Temari and Gaara, it was finally their turn to pray at the shrine. Both of them threw their offerings and clasped their hands for their prayer. After a while, they were finished and they went down the shrine. They said goodbye to Gaara and his family, and left.

"Nee, Hinata… what did you pray for?" Naruto asked curiously.

Hinata smiled, "It's a secret, Naruto-kun. _Mou,_ it won't come true if I told it to others, right?" she said.

Naruto pouted. "Yeah, that's true. I just want to know. Even a little." He said.

"Soon… both of us will know whether it would come true or not… We just have to wait." Hinata said. "Don't worry. I'll tell it to you if it comes true."

"All right! Don't forget you said that, dattebayo!" Naruto then wrapped an arm around her to protect her from the crowd.

She settled her head on top of his shoulder as she felt his protective arm around her. "Yes… I won't forget." She whispered to him.

"_Dear God… please give me another chance to live. I want to be with Naruto-kun longer. I dearly love him with all my heart so… please. But, everything is still under your will. I accept my fate. If I'm not given another chance… please… do not leave Naruto-kun alone. Make him find the right girl and… make him happy."_

That was Hinata's prayer.

TO BE CONTINUED.

* * *

><p><strong>an:**

It took me weeks to finish typing this. Once again, I'm deeply sorry for the late update! And... I apologize in advance because I won't be able to update swiftly again. Bummer. My brother's wedding is next week so... I will be very busy practicing with my classmate 'coz we're going to sing. I'm really nervous! And, a Research project is coming by... then a science project... then a cooking contest that I didn't know why I was picked to participate(I do not know how to cook!). Then... next month would be my College entrance exam! WAAAAH! too much pressure! Help...

It's not hell week... it's hell month. TT^TT I do hope I find time to update.

See you soon. Please do pray that I come back in one piece. Thank you.

Review please!

Also... may I request for someone to make a fanart out of this story? Like from a scene... hehehe. I couldn't find time to make a fanart. Oh, I'm so sorry for suddenly asking! Thanks for the big help. I still couldn't decide what would the cover of this story be. Please, help!

**VOCABULARY**

**Yosh- alright **

**Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu- Happy New Year**

**Mou- geez**


	22. Chapter 22: Decision

**a/n:**

I finally updated this story. I'M VERY SORRY!

*fires a gun at myself*

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 22: Decision<strong>

It has been two months since Naruto and Hinata started their relationship. Believe it or not, Naruto was already in good terms with his girlfriend's father. Somehow, the two were able to get along with each other after the blood-shedding event in New Year's. A lot has happened during the past few months. Lots of romantic things… and weird things. Since they are more than friends now, they found out more things about each other. Like, Hinata found out that she wasn't Naruto's first kiss at all but Uchiha Sasuke(which the lad defended over and over that it was just an accident), his severe obsession to Ramen, that he hated studying, he views Sasuke as his rival, and so much more about his childhood life. On the other hand, Naruto found out that Hinata was never afraid of bugs, her favorite food was cinnamon rolls, that she and Neji rarely got along when they were kids, her experiences in school when having no friends and other things that had happened in her life before they met each other.

But… Hinata was careful with her words. She had mentioned almost everything about herself except for one tiny yet most important thing that Naruto should know.

Her illness.

There were numerous times when she planned to tell him, but whenever she's on it, she can't bring herself to tell him. She was always out of words, her mind couldn't find the right words to say and she couldn't obtain the courage…

On top of all, she was afraid. Afraid to let him know.

Hinata shut her eyes as she felt the breeze touch her soft, smooth skin. She closed the bible she was reading and leaned her back on the fat tree trunk to free herself from disturbing thoughts. When she couldn't relax, she always went to the secret place where Gaara usually went to watch the soccer practice and where she and Temari talked. She also informed Naruto about the place. So, when they had free time, they both relax here.

It has been two months… Two months and she kept lying to him.

But just… how could she tell him everything that Minato said?

* * *

><p><em>A loud crash filled all over the room that distracted the serious conversation the three people were having.<em>

"_Wh-what?" Hanabi had the most shocked expression among them as she entered the room to serve tea for their visitor. The whole tray slid down her hands and glasses shattered on the floor when she heard the most devastating news in her life. _

"_Minato-sensei… th-that's not true, right?" the younger Hyuuga said in a slightly brave voice. She forced herself not to shake, but failing badly._

"_Hanabi…" Hinata rose from her seat. _

_Hanabi made her way towards Minato and begged for him. "Doctor… tell me… please, tell me it's not true. You're just joking… what you are saying is just TRASH! None of these is true!" she shook Minato back and forth._

"_Calm down, Hanabi." Hinata said softly._

"_TELL ME MY SISTER IS NOT GOING TO DIE!" Hanabi's voice cracked as tears streamed down her face._

_Minato stared at her solemnly. He felt as if his heart was being pulled out through his throat upon seeing Hanabi's painful expression. He knew that the trusted him with her whole heart on taking care of her elder sister… but what was happening right now? He just reported to them that Hinata doesn't have much time left to live. The words that neither of the members of the family, even him, wanted to hear._

"_She's all right… she's healthy… she's going to live! All of what you are saying are lies!" Hanabi cried, of all things in the world, accepting the fact that her elder sister will die was the hardest to swallow. She was born with a motherless world and it was Hinata who became her mother and filled that empty space in her heart. All her life… she treated Hinata not only her sister… but also as a mother. Just how could Hanabi accept that she'd lose her mother again?_

"_Doctor… she won't die… tell me… she won't die." She continued begging even though she knew that kind of person Namikaze Minato was. _

_The type who never told jokes in his life._

_Hinata gently pulled Hanabi away from the doctor and faced her. "Listen, Hanabi… I will never leave you, I promise. Your sister will just be here, okay?" she gave Hanabi a warm hug, "So, stop crying… you know that I never want to see you cry."_

"_Bu…but Minato-san said…"_

"_Hush… we'll work things out. Everything will be fine." She then kissed her sister on her forehead. She broke the hug and wiped Hanabi's face. "You go back upstairs and rest."_

_Hanabi nodded numbly and followed Hinata's orders. She was escorted by a butler as she climbed up the stairs and when she was gone, the three continued their conversation._

_Hinata sat down in between Hiashi and Neji. She directly looked at the doctor who sat opposite of them, with determined eyes. "Sensei… please, tell me the real state of my body."_

"_Hinata…" Neji whispered._

"_I'm prepared for anything. Ever since I found out about my illness, I'm already prepared myself for this moment." Hinata said, "I'm ready to face what's ahead of me."_

_Minato closed his eyes and nodded. "I understand." He said as he looked back at the girl. "Your heart failure became worse since you had a heart attack the night before the play. As days pass, your heart will grow weaker and weaker until it couldn't pump enough blood for your body anymore." He brought out an envelope which contained X-ray results when she went for a check-up yesterday. "The cardiovascular muscles are swelling and the blood vessels which supply the oxygen narrowed. With this, you'd continue experiencing irregular pumping, and when the pumping is lost, blood may back up in the other parts of your body. Fluids build up in the lungs, liver, gastrointestinal tract, and arms and legs."_

"_Congestive heart failure…" Neji whispered._

"_Yes. We had known that this congestive heart failure was Hinata's illness ever since. We were able to save her when she was a baby because we immediately responded for its treatment. The operation saved her that time." Minato said._

"_Another operation will cure her… is that right?" Hiashi asked._

_Minato looked down and regretfully replied the negative. _

"_Unfortunately… based from my researches… an operation will not do anything to prolong Hinata's life."_

_Neji and Hiashi's eyes widened._

_Hinata just continued listening to the doctor's explanation._

"_The previous heart attack caused too much damage to your heart, Hinata. The pain during your palpitations would enhance and would be harder to endure. That would result for more frequent faintness, weakness, fatigue and loss of appetite. If you had another attack, the chance of your survival would be very low." Minato knew that it was harsh for him to say those words to her… but that was the truth. It would be better for her to know the real state of her body… and by the look of the girl's eyes, he knew that this is what she wanted._

_Hiashi kept his apathetic stance. He wasn't the type who would throw his emotions in front of people. He was good at keeping his emotions down his sleeves, but… by the look of his eyes right now, he was at the verge of breaking down in tears._

_His precious daughter… His precious daughter was going to die._

"_Doctor… how much time do I have left to live?" Hinata asked softly._

_Minato turned his hands into fists. He didn't want to answer the maiden's question… It was also getting harder and harder for him as they continued. _

"_Minato-sensei… please, answer me…" Hinata pleaded, "How much time do I have left to live?"_

_Minato endured the shaky feeling he had. He was angry at himself for not being able to change the answer to her question. In the end, he still couldn't do anything for the kind-hearted girl. With all the courage he had, he answered her._

"_Less than a year… If there are no attacks, you will live in the maximum of eight months. But, if only one attach occurred, then it would be automatically a 50/50 chance of surviving."_

"_Eight months…?" Neji gulped._

_Minato looked down, "Her heart is very weak and couldn't manage to give off enough blood as months will pass by. In one attack, she would die." _

_Hinata clasped her hand on her lap and lowered her head to hide her emotions. She remained quiet for a moment. _

"_Is there a cure?" Hiashi said, "Tell me… what can save my daughter?" he glared sharply at the doctor. _

"_Yes. There is a possible cure." Minato replied. "That would be a heart transplant."_

"_Then do it. Whatever is fine, as long as it could save my daughter, you shall do it." Hiashi said._

"_Unfortunately we couldn't proceed with the heart transplant because we haven't found a compatible heart for her. Neither in your family is qualified… Finding a compatible heart for the transplant is very hard to do." Minato explained._

"_Are you saying that we just have to accept everything and let Hinata live for only eight months? You're her doctor, right? Do something! Find another way to save her life if the transplant cannot be conducted!" Hiashi rarely loses his calm and composed nature._

"_I am looking for a way to save her life. I will not abandon her! I AM doing everything I could!" Minato fed back._

"_You're not doing well enough." Hiashi's tone hardened, "You have to save my daughter no matter what. If you can't keep your promise that you'd protect her life, I will not hesitate to find a better cardiologist for her."_

"_That is enough, Father…" Hinata interrupted the rising argument of the two men. "Please, don't talk to Minato-sensei like that. He's working hard for all of his patients… He is a very great doctor. So don't get mad at him. After all… without him… I wouldn't be alive right now. He was the one… who saved my life multiple times."_

_Not to burst Hiashi's bubble, Hinata was correct._

_Hiashi somehow relaxed when he heard his daughter's words. Same goes for Minato._

"_We can still hope right…? If God would give me another chance, then I will gladly accept it. If not… then shall be it." Hinata said._

_Hope… They can still hope, right?_

* * *

><p>Hope.<p>

Was hoping enough?

"There you are!" A lively voice enlightened the tranquil place. She opened her eyes quickly to see the dear person who called her.

Uzumaki Naruto.

"I've been looking all around for you. Classes would resume soon, let's go." Naruto offered a hand to hoist her up.

Hinata grabbed his hand but didn't allow him to hoist her up. Instead, he brushed his hand on her face.

"So warm…" she said softly. "I've always loved Naruto-kun's hands… it's always warm even without gloves."

Naruto smiled gently, "Come on. We wouldn't want to be late for our next class. You know what kind of person Ibiki is."

Hinata didn't want to go. She wanted to stay here longer with him by her side where no one would see and bother them. She wanted to share this peaceful while before she goes back to the cruel reality. It's only him who could make her feel at ease and this place could make her forget her problems for the meantime.

"Can we stay here a little longer? Just the two of us…" she said, not letting his warm hand go.

Naruto glanced at his wrist watch, it was only 12.50pm so… who cares about Morino Ibiki?

"Sure. We stay here as long as you like." Naruto said.

Hinata smiled and made space for him on the blanket she was sitting on. Then there, Naruto sat down beside her and wrapped an arm around her to keep her body warm.

Hinata shared her scarf with him as she gently leaned her head on his muscular shoulder. They both held each other's hands tightly, not intending to let go.

She let out a relaxing sigh, "It feels so good… lying on Naruto-kun's arms." She said as she closed her eyes. "I always want to feel this warmth… only Naruto-kun's able to do that. I want to be in your arms… I feel so relaxed…"

"You just like me so much, don't you?" Naruto chuckled softly as he landed a soft peck on her forehead.

"Yes… I like you… VERY MUCH." She held his hand tighter and settled her head on his hardbound chest. She could hear Naruto's pounding heart… and that sound was the most soothing music in her ears. She just loved everything about him. His hair, his eyes, his whiskers… just everything. He was perfect for her.

"Hey, I've been working on a song. Want to listen to it?" Naruto asked,

"Yes, sure." Hinata replied.

"_Ah~ Kimi ni fureru tabi ni_

_Kimi e to chikazu itte _

_Ah~ Kimi wo kanjita mama _

_Bokura mitasarete_

_Takanaatte iru kokoro wo tashikameru you ni _

_Kimi wo tsuyoku dakishimeru yo…"_

This was the very first time Hinata heard Naruto sang. He was no singer, but his voice was perfect for the song. She even blushed because of the sweet lyrics.

"You sound really great." Hinata said.

Naruto gulped hard and his heart raced. "W-well… That's all I've got for now. I'm still learning the song so…" he paused, "I want you to be the first one to hear me sing."

Hinata blushed harder.

"When I complete it, I'll definitely sing it to you first. I promise." Naruto said.

Hinata nodded, "I'd be very happy about that, Naruto-kun."

Then, the school bell rang at exactly 1pm for the afternoon classes. But Naruto and Hinata didn't budge from their positions. They just remained there, not caring about anything else but the person they're holding. When the bell stopped ringing, silence finally came back and nothing bothered them.

Except for one thing.

"Ne, Naruto-kun…"

"Hm?"

Hinata looked up to him and he stared back at her.

"Oh… I-It's nothing." Hinata said.

"Come on. Tell me, what is it?" Naruto locked eyes with her.

"I-it's nothing really… It's just… I'm happy that I can be with you." She replied. And once again, she wasn't able to tell it to him.

Naruto smirked and pinched her cheek. "You're just sooooo cute Hinata! You've been talking smoothly at me, haven't you?"

"Mou… I was telling the truth." Hinata pouted.

"You are just too cute." Naruto continued pinching her cheeks, "Well, I want to tell you something too." He inched his face close to her until the tip of their noses touched. "I'm the luckiest guy in the world to have you as my girlfriend."

Hinata became redder and redder.

"You're the smooth-talker here…" she said.

Naruto just chuckled and pulled her head to his chest again. Later on, Hinata accompanied his chuckles by beginning to giggle melodically.

How Hinata wished they could stay like this forever.

* * *

><p>Classes were dismissed about an hour ago and Neji was on his way for his Karate practice. While he was walking out of the school building, he crossed paths with Inuzuka Kiba, who had stopped bothering Hinata since she has started going out with Naruto.<p>

"Yo." Kiba greeted first, "On your way to the Karate club?"

"Yeah." Neji replied.

"Great. Let's go together since the soccer field is also that way." Kiba said with a grin.

"Whatever." Neji said.

"Also, I need to talk to you." Kiba's tone of voice suddenly changed.

Neji knew that this was serious business. Kiba never approached him before just to talk and this was the very first time that they would have a serious conversation.

"Go ahead." The prodigy said as he shot him a side glance.

Kiba placed his hands inside his pockets as he walked side by side with Neji. "I know you know who our topic might be in our conversation… so let me just ask," he paused for a moment and looked at the ground, "Is Hinata doing fine with Naruto?"

Neji predicted that this would come. For a moment, he didn't want to answer because he didn't want to think about the idiotic Uzumaki for a while. After all, Naruto and Hinata were late for the afternoon classes earlier and Neji knew that it's definitely Naruto's fault. As usual, the blond brought up a cover for them so no trouble would be made. And they're safe from getting reported to the adviser or the principal. Still, he blamed Naruto for teaching Hinata how to be late in class as though the girl reasoned out that she was the one who started it and that it was not her boyfriend's fault.

They just don't get tired of defending each other, do they?

"She's fine. Even though I'm against their relationship, I trust Naruto." Neji said.

"I see. Naruto really is a reliable guy, isn't he?" Kiba said, "I'm glad Hinata is in good hands."

"I will not approve if I can't trust that guy." Neji said, "Not to interfere with your business but… what are your plans now since Hinata is… taken away?"

"Wow. You ask about other people's life now? And I'm one of them? What an honor." Kiba blinked in amusement. He shrugged and placed his hands behind his head.

"_Saa_… I don't have an idea. Even if Hinata turned me down that night… it's _still_ her. These feelings I have are still strong and only for her." he said. He couldn't believe that he was telling these things right in front of the stoic Hyuga Neji. "All these years… it was only her. So it was really hard to accept that another guy has already captured Hinata. Of all people, I never expected for him to be Naruto."

Neji agreed with that. He also thought that… he never expected that his cousin would fall for Naruto.

"I guess I lost to that guy again." Kiba chuckled, "Even in love… I lost to him. We liked the same sports and kept competing against each other about everything. But even in love… we fell in love with one same girl. And he wins once again. So, someday, I'm so gonna sucker punch his face for taking the girl of my dreams away."

"Hn. He'll definitely wonder why you'd do that." Neji said, "He's the dumbest person I've ever known."

Kiba let out a hearty laugh, "Agree! That guy doesn't even have the slightest idea of my feelings for Hinata."

"Too dumb to be treasured by my cousin so much." Neji added sarcastically.

Changing the topic, Kiba dropped off Naruto. It's true that he decided to stop chasing after Hinata, but it doesn't mean that he'll stop caring for her. Just as he said earlier, it was still her… His feelings won't disappear in just a snap of a finger.

"How's Hinata doing…? How's her… health?" He needed to ask that.

Neji looked uneasy upon hearing Kiba's next question. He gripped the strap of his bag tightly as he glared at the ground.

"Naruto still doesn't know about her illness. If he knew it, then he'd definitely make a big fuss over it."

Neji continued walking.

"So, tell me. What's happening to Hinata? Is she getting better?" Kiba asked persistently.

Neji halted on his steps, now clenching his fists. Eyes glowing in madness.

"Hey—" Kiba had never seen Neji like this before. Nothing made him turn into this state until now… He knew… the Hyuga prodigy won't look like this unless there's a very deep reason behind it.

Neji tried his best to regain his composed nature. He wasn't himself. Easily losing his temper and getting hyped up… totally not his usual self. With pure calmness in his voice, he replied, "None of your business." Then he walked away from Kiba.

Kiba frowned and then immediately blocked Neji's path, "No, Neji. I need to know what's happening to Hinata."

Neji shot Kiba a glare, "Step aside. You're nothing to her. You have nothing to do with her anymore."

"I won't step aside. Yeah, I'm nothing but a friend to her… but she's very important to me." Kiba stood firmly in front of Neji, "Don't you dare tell me that she has nothing to do with me anymore. All my life… I have waited for her. She was the only one I cared about next to my family. I badly wanted to see her for all these years. It's true that I'm not her boyfriend. It's true that I'm just her classmate. But I care for her just as much as you do." He gritted his teeth, "Just like you, I'm also mad at the guy who stole her. We just can trust Naruto that's why we're not getting in the way, but I am mad because I couldn't be that right guy for her. If it was possible, I wanted to switch body with that idiot so I could be with Hinata." He paused, "But… all I wanted to do to get her back to me are all impossible now. I can't manage to take her happiness. So, for her, I'd rather sacrifice just to see her happy with the one she truly loves." He glared at Neji's eyes.

"So, don't you dare tell me that she has nothing to do with me anymore."

Of all things, he never imagined that he would hear Kiba's real feelings towards Hinata. He glared back at the Inuzuka and had a stare-down competition against each other. From those eyes, he knew that Kiba was prepared to know the truth. Kiba surpassed what he felt when he found out that Hinata was ill, but… can he handle this one? Even Neji couldn't handle this cruel truth.

With all honesty in his voice, he said it.

"Hinata has less than a year to live."

_Thud_.

A loud thud was heard from the ground when Kiba's bag freely slipped out of his hand. His eyes went wide and his world stopped spinning in an instant. He could hardly believe his ears.

Hinata… dying? That was horrific. Very horrific. He felt so devastated that it's like air refused to enter his lungs, his legs and arms chopped, his throat was slit and his heart was stabbed with millions of knives. An unexplainable terror surrounded his chest.

He was lost. Completely lost.

This was what he exactly felt when he found out that she had an illness. But this time… the pain was one hundred time stronger.

* * *

><p>In another part of the school, Naruto and Hinata were on their way to the front gate to meet up with Ko. Naruto usually did this before going to his soccer practice. He would first see her off, then he'll go to the fields to train. Sometimes, she stops by to watch the soccer practice before Ko arrives. Even today, she wanted to stay and watch the practice. But Naruto disagreed with that since he notice that she has been coughing the whole day. He didn't want to worsen that.<p>

_Cough. Cough. Cough. _Came from Hinata again.

"Are you sure it's just cough? I can go with you to the hospital to have you checked up." Naruto said worriedly.

Hinata gave off a warm smile, "I'm fine. I'll just rest at home… I'll be better tomorrow."

"Well, you should be since the game is two weeks from now." he said, "I can't play well if my inspiration isn't there." He winked.

Hinata blushed.

Naruto laughed. He found her way too cute seeing her blush.

"_Ne_… Naruto-kun…"

"Hn?"

"What would you feel if… I were to disappear?"

Naruto was stunned. He gave Hinata a frown.

"What?"

Hinata looked down, "What if… I'm going to disappear? What would you do? What would you feel?"

Naruto looked up the sky, "Isn't the answer obvious?" he said, "Of course… I wouldn't let you disappear. I would never let anything or anyone take you away from me. And if I fail… I'll never forgive myself." He paused, "And of course… I will definitely be lonely that it would drive me insane."

Hinata looked down.

"I couldn't imagine myself without you in my life. Without you… I don't know where I am right now. You're just so important to me." Naruto said, "I don't want to lose you… ever."

Hinata bit her lower lip and tightened her grip on the strap of her bag. She wanted to cry so much… but she can't. Not in front of Naruto.

"Hinata? Are you really all right?" Naruto said, deeply concerned about her strange behavior.

Hinata nodded weakly. When she lifted her head, she was relieved to see the family car arriving. "You can drop me off here, Naruto-kun. You must go back to your practice now, I'll be fine."

"You sure?" Naruto raised a brow.

"Yes. Ko is with me. I'll be fine, don't worry." Hinata said.

"All right. Be careful on your way home." He said and then landed a soft kiss on her forehead, "Text me when you get home."

Hinata nodded, "I will." Then, before she completely leaves… she gave Naruto a very tight hug, not wanting to let him go.

Naruto literally froze on his spot. He looked down at Hinata who was clinging to him for dear life… and as if she were to disappear. She never did this in school with him… with other people looking around.

"What's wrong? What's bothering you?" He returned the embrace warmly, "You've been acting really odd."

Hinata shook her head. "It's nothing… I was just really touched… by your words." They stayed attached to each other for some seconds, later on, they released each other and parted ways.

Hinata ran towards the car swiftly, Naruto watched her until she safely gets into the car. Once she got inside, the car drove off and he went back to his soccer practice.

Meanwhile in the car, Hinata was staring at the side mirrors which reflected Naruto from the school grounds. She placed a hand to cover her mouth as tears were burning from her pale-colored eyes. She began sobbing.

"Naruto-kun… I—I'm sorry—I'm sorry." She whimpered. "I'm—sorry."

Ko pulled down the curtains dividing the front seat from the backseat to give her more privacy with her personal matters.

Hinata buried her face on her palms as she continued crying. She has made her decision.

That was the final one. Tomorrow, she will definitely not hesitate anymore.

She would end everything between the two of them without letting him know the truth about her illness.

TO BE CONTINUED.

* * *

><p><strong>an:**

*comes back from the dead* The lyrics over there are from the song Kimi Ni Fureru Dake De by CURIO.

Please, review. *gets shot again*

Inner self: You have guts to say that to the dear readers after not updating for f**!#$ decades!? SHAME ON YOU.

Me: *bleeds* I'm... sorry.


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